
FELICIA 

VISITS 


ELIZABETH LINCOLN GOULD 






















































% 













« 














































FELICIA VISITS 

BY 

ELIZABETH LINCOLN GOULD 

AUTHOR OT 
" FELICIA” 

" FELICIA’S FRIENDS,” ETC. 



THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 
PHILADELPHIA 
ACAX 



VC 


COPYRIGHT 
1910 BY 
THE PENN 
PUBLISHING 
COMPANY 



€ Cl. A 2 6 -8 5 8 0 


V 


* 


4 

> 

o' 

Introduction 


The two previous books of the series, “ Felicia,” and 
“ Felicia’s Friends,” have told the story of little 
Felicia Lane’s life in Blackberry Hill, and w the friends 
she and her father, the new minister, make. Felicia’s 
mother is out in Colorado, trying to get well, but many 
of the good neighbors in Blackberry Hill are ready to 
help and advise Felicia. She has an “ intimate friend,” 
Winifred Harlow, and many other friends, old and 
young, among whom is Carina Lotti, a wonderful little 
violinist whom strange circumstances take to Black- 
berry Hill. There is also Miss Shaw, the young teacher, 
who plans and helps on many good times for the girls 
and boys who are her pupils. More about Felicia and 
Blackberry Hill will be found in “ Felicia’s Folks.” 


3 




CHAPTER 

Contents 


PAGE 

I. 

Washington’s Birthday 


9 

II. 

Mrs. Cope Entertains . 


. 19 

III. 

An Afternoon at Green Corners 

• 3 1 

IV. 

Snow-Shoes and Invitations . 


• 43 

V. 

The First Visit . 


• 5 i 

VI. 

Secrets at Tophams’ Farm . 


. 61 

VII. 

The Coming of Pedro . 


. 69 

VIII. 

The New Member of the Family 

. 76 

IX. 

A Day With Mr. Fosdick . 


. 87 

X. 

Pedro’s Owner Appears 


. 9** 

XI. 

Confidences .... 


. 105 

XII. 

Mr. Gregg Helps the Library 


• I]t 3 

XIII. 

An Unexpected Guest . 


. 122 

XIV. 

Candy and Plans . 


. 132 

XV. 

More Surprises 


. 140 

XVI. 

A Kitchen Conference 


. 148 

XVII. 

A Private Exhibition . 


. 163 

XVIII. 

A Slight Misunderstanding . 


. 178 

XIX. 

Two Parties 


. 185 

XX. 

A Waking Dream 


. 192 


5 








































♦ 














I 








t 


i 






t 


















Illustrations 


“ When Did You Do All This ? ” 

“ It was Such Fun ! ” 

There was a Pause 

The Wonderful Plan was Told 
A Little Girl was Getting Off the Train 


Frontispiece ^ 
. 46^ 

. 78 ^ 

. 1 16 ^ 

200 


Felicia Visits 


7 


s 







Felicia Visits 


CHAPTEK I 
Washington’s birthday 

Over the porch of the schoolhouse in Blackberry 
Hill was draped a strip of bunting, red, white and 
blue, with a great rosette in the exact centre, and long 
floating ends ; from the ridge-pole a stout stick reared 
itself, not quite erect, but flaunting a bright flag in the 
February wind, while over the two doors which led to 
the right and left from the porch were crossed flags. 

The decorations had been put up by Hate Horner, 
but not without a great deal of advice from his school- 
mates and casual passers-by, on the afternoon of the 
twentieth of February ; and this was the morning of 
the twenty-first, when the celebration of Washington’s 
Birthday was to be held at the schoolhouse. The next 
day, of course, was to be a holiday. 

The children were standing in the road, gazing at the 
bunting rosette and streamers with admiration. 

“ It looks ever so much better than it did last night,” 
said Felicia, who had been Hate’s chief assistant, stand- 
ing on a chair beside his ladder, and handing hammer 
9 


io 


Felicia Visits 


and tacks at the required moment; “ you know we 
were afraid it was just a little bit — bunchy — in the 
middle.” 

“ It was bunchy,” said Winifred Harlow, with her 
usual frankness ; “ the wind has torn out some of the 
tacks and loosened it up, so it looks graceful. Anyway 
it looked better than if I had done it,” she added 
handsomely. “ I wonder if Miss Shaw will be perfectly 
surprised and delighted.” 

“ Here she comes,” said Felicia, as the teacher’s 
pretty face and slender figure appeared ; she was round- 
ing the corner with her brisk step, humming to herself. 

She waved her hand in greeting to the children, and 
the boys’ hats came off as if by a signal. She was sur- 
prised that Felicia and Winifred did not run forward 
and claim her arms as usual, but in a moment she saw 
the reason ; all the eyes in the group were fixed on the 
schoolhouse, and Miss Shaw turned to look at it, too, as 
she walked along. 

“ Why, you dear children ! ” she cried. “ When did 
you do all this ? How fine our schoolhouse looks ! ” 

“We did it yesterday afternoon,” came in a chorus, 
and Winifred added, “We thought you never would 
go home, so we could come back and do it.” 

Miss Shaw laughed, but Felicia Lane looked at Wini- 
fred reproachfully, and then slid her hand into the 
young teacher’s clasp. 

“ It’s the first time we ever haven’t wanted you,” 
said Felicia, “and ’twas only because we thought if we 


II 


W ishington s Birthday 

could surprise you, and show you how patriotic we felt, 
you would be pleased, after all the pains you’ve taken 
with us.” 

“ Of course,” and Miss Shaw looked so smiling that 
Felicia had no more regrets. “ I am just as pleased as 
you could possibly have thought I would be. I hope 
there will be a great many visitors this morning to see 
our decorations.” 

“ Oh, everybody is coming,” said Winifred, “ except 
mother, for of course she can’t leave the station on a 
plain day like this, she says, when the express agent is 
busy so he can’t take her place ; but she told me to tell 
you that she has put a flag in every window, and has 
one for Mr. Wadleigh’s buttonhole when his train 
comes through, for the day before is just as good to 
celebrate in a railroad station as a schoolhouse ; it’s 
just the spirit, she says, and she intends to repeat 
4 Hail Columbia ’ and a number of other poems all by 
herself while we are having our exercises.” 

“ I don’t believe anybody but you could have reeled 
that off in one breath,” teased Ned Hilliard, but Wini- 
fred paid no attention to him beyond lifting the 
shoulder nearest him in a disdainful shrug. 

“ I should like to stay out here longer to admire 
your work,” said Miss Shaw, “ but it is nearly nine 
o’clock, and we must have a little rehearsal before the 
visitors arrive, at ten.” 

“ I think Mrs. Cope will be one of the first,” said 
Felicia, as they entered the schoolroom, “ for she gave 


12 


Felicia Visits 


us the bunting, and it was a piece she’d kept for a real 
special occasion like this, she told me. And Mr. 
Fosdick gave us the small flags and the tacks, and we 
all bought the big flag, together, and each one of us 
had a tap with the hammer to fasten it on the stick, — 
it’s part silk, Miss Shaw ; did you notice the shine on it ? ” 
“ I did,” the teacher assured her ; 44 I knew nothing 
could shine that way unless there was a good deal of 
silk in it, Felicia.” 

“ They told us it was more than half,” said Winifred, 
44 and that’s the way it feels. Oh, our mottoes haven’t 
faded one bit, have they ? ” 

“ If they had faded, after my arms being dragged 
nearly out of my shoulders putting them up, I’d 
have been mad enough,” said Nate Horner. “ That 
4 Our Country Forever ’ looks pretty fair, doesn’t it ? 
And so does that 4 First in Peace ’ ; but seems to me the 
4 First in War ’ and 4 First in the Hearts of His Coun- 
trymen ’ aren’t so good ; the evergreen lopped over on 
some of those words ; ” and the decorative artist sur- 
veyed his work with a disapproving gaze. 

44 There couldn’t anybody else have done it half so 
well,” came in little Ted Hilliard’s voice, as he looked 
up at his special hero, and sidled close to big Nate. 

44 It is all as well done as if you’d had a great deal 
of experience, Nate,” said Miss Shaw, and the big boy 
and the little one flushed with pride at her words — for 
Miss Shaw had come from the city — she knew what 
decorations ought to be. 


Washington s Birthday 13 

The old schoolroom had never looked so attractive 
before to the fathers and mothers, aunts and uncles, 
and unconnected but interested visitors, who appeared 
by twos and threes, from ten o’clock until quarter 
after ; they all exclaimed over the decorations in loud 
whispers, as they took their seats on the long benches 
borrowed from the Town Hall, and placed against the 
walls ; the school board, consisting of Mr. Topham, Mr. 
Fosdick and Mr. Hilliard, sat in three straight-backed 
chairs on the platform, and surveyed the room and its 
occupants with great satisfaction. 

“ I ’most wish little Ben was here to see this,” said 
Mr. Fosdick to Mr. Topham, just before Miss Shaw 
gave the signal for beginning the program ; “ but he’s 
sent a letter to the school; I’ve brought it in my 
pocket.” 

“Good idea,” said Mr. Topham approvingly. “I 
guess the little chap’s contented there in the city with 
Mr. Ledyard, isn’t he ? ” 

Before Mr. Fosdick could reply, the bell on Miss 
Shaw’s desk rang sharply, and the scholars and visitors 
alike sat “ at attention.” 

First came a patriotic song by the whole class, led 
by Miss Shaw. 

“ You hear Felicia’s voice, I suppose,” whispered 
Mr. Fosdick under cover of the music. “ You notice 
she doesn’t sing out louder than the others, but she has 
the kind of voice that’s clearer and sweeter than the 
general run.” 


»4 


Felicia Visits 


Mr. Topham nodded ; the two old friends were well 
agreed about the minister’s little girl. 

“ Why don’t you whistle ? ” suggested Mr. Hilliard, 
nudging Mr. Topham with his elbow. “ I can’t carry 
a tune, so I don’t dare join in, but that’s a stirring piece 
of music.” 

“ Don’t you know an official position like this calls 
for a good deal of dignity ? ” whispered Mr. Topham. 
“ You two stop nudging me, or I shall disgrace the 
school board right here and now.” 

“We are allowed to clap right out in meeting, any- 
way, I reckon,” said Mr. Fosdick, as the chorus of the 
last verse came to a joyous end ; and the school board 
lent six generous hands to the applause of the visitors 
on the benches. 

JSText there was a platform exercise. 

“ Great and lasting is his fame,” said little Ted 
Hilliard as loudly and clearly as he could possibly 
speak ; and as he mounted the platform and faced the 
audience, he held before him a square of pasteboard on 
which was a big red “ G.” 

“ Ever honored is his name,” chanted Donald 
French, as he took his stand beside little Ted, dis- 
playing an “ E ” which matched Ted’s letter in size 
and color. 

“They’re going to spell out his name,” said Mrs. 
Cope to Mrs. Markham who sat next her on one 
side. “ I knew it from some things Miss Shaw let 
drop, about rhymes and so on. Spelling out his name, 


Washington' s Birthday 15 

you see,” she said, turning to Mrs. Topham, on her 
other side. 

“ So they are,” said Mrs. Topham good-naturedly ; 
“ I’d begun to suspect as much.” 

“ It does seem as if Mrs. Cope thought nobody but 
herself could see things without being told,” Miss 
Ellen Markham said in her mother’s ear, but Mrs. 
Markham only smiled at her and whispered, “ Listen,” 
and the exercise went on, till it ended with : 

u On our hero’s natal day,” 

“ Never fail his name to say,” 

the last line falling to Nate Horner. 

“ They composed this poem with scarcely any help,” 
said Miss Shaw when the applause had died away, 
and the scholars had returned to their seats. “ I only 
suggested one or two rhymes.” 

“ I didn’t know it was in my Nate to write poetry,” 
said Mrs. Horner to Mrs. French, “ but I feel quite 
proud of him.” 

“ I think Donald did real well,” said Mrs. French 
complacently, “ and so does his father. What comes 
next ? — ‘ Hail Columbia ! ’ — well, I can join in that with 
the best.” 

“ This is my one tune that I’m sure of,” said Mr. 
Hilliard to Miss Shaw as she turned to ask the school 
board if it would rise and join with the others. “ If 
I don’t hoarse up I can get through all right.” 

But before two lines had been sung it became 


i6 


Felicia Visits 


evident that something was wrong. Mrs. Hilliard 
made frantic signs across the room to her husband, 
but he paid no heed ; with head well back, he sang on, 
louder and louder, till at the end of the verse, Mr. 
Fosdick reached behind Mr. Topham and touched the 
singer. 

“ You haven’t hoarsed up,” he said, “ but you’ve 
mislaid the tune somewhere ; supposing you and I 
kind of hum along, and let James here do the singing 
out.” 

“ I guess it would be safer,” admitted Mr. Hilliard, 
whose gaze had just fallen on his wife ; and the second 
verse went much better than the first. 

There were recitations, more songs, and speeches 
by Mr. Hilliard and Mr. Topham, but when it was 
Mr. Fosdick’s turn to address the school, he adjusted 
his spectacles and took from his pocket an envelope ad- 
dressed in a large round hand to “ Mr. Fosdick, Esquire, 
Blackberry Hill.” 

“Well,” he said, “I guess I can’t do better than 
read you a letter from a little chap who would be 
happy right here if he wasn’t busy bein’ happy off in 
the city. This is from our friend Benny Kingman.” 
From the envelope he took a sheet of paper, and then, 
putting his left hand in his pocket, he began to read : 

“ ‘ Dear Mr. Fosdick : I hope you will tell all the 
boys and Felicia and Winifred ’ (ought to have put the 
ladies first, but he’s young yet,” interpolated the reader) 
“ 4 that I am glad they are having a celebration of 


Washington' s Birthday 17 

Washington’s Birthday, the day before, for he was a 
grand man, the best anybody could want, Mr. Ledyard 
says, and we are going to a celebration with bands on 
the morning of his birthday. I am having a fine time, 
and will write you next week as usual, but this is extra. 
Please give my best rememberings to Miss Shaw and all 

the scholars, and take ’ Well, the rest is personal 

and it might make you all jealous,” said Mr. Fosdick, 
as he folded the letter and replaced it in its envelope. 
“ But what I wanted to say in conclusion is, that while 
we have no regular bands in Blackberry Hill as yet, 
there’s plenty of talent to make one, right here in our 
midst, and if my friend Miss Shaw would approve, I’m 
pretty sure that by Memorial Day we could have a 
band that would do us credit, and be ready for all 
occasions. Meanwhile I wish to compliment Miss 
Shaw and all concerned on the success of this enter- 
tainment, and wishing you all a Happy Washington’s 
Birthday I will make way for a distinguished guest 
who’s trying to hide in the back of the room, after re- 
fusing a seat on the platform.” 

“ There ! ” said Mrs. Cope to Mrs. Topham, leaning 
back with a sigh of relief. “I was afraid nobody’d 
have enough sense of propriety to ask the minister 
to speak. Look at Felicia ! ” 

It was a face flushed and dimpled with pleasure at 
which they looked as the minister made his way to the 
platform, and while he spoke his few wise, friendly 
words. 


i8 


Felicia Visits 


“ I consider he’s a real honor to us, on every oc- 
casion,” said Mrs. Cope, as she drew her wraps around 
her, and prepared to leave the schoolroom, among the 
last of the visitors. “ Felicia, you step into my house 
when you come along. I want to show you some- 
thing.” 

“ I want to show you something first,” said Winifred 
eagerly. “Oh, Felicia, the most splendid thing for 
you and me has happened ! Just wait till I get my 
coat on, and I’ll tell you, as we walk along. I do 
hope you can do it with me — but of course you can ! ” 

“Can what?” begged Felicia. “Please hurry, 
Winifred ! ” 

“There! I’ve got one sleeve wrong side out,” 
cried Winifred, “ and I’ll have to turn it ! Now — let’s 
start quick as we can, and I’ll tell you.” 


CHAPTER II 


MRS. COPE ENTERTAINS 

The stream of visitors had passed out of sight 
around the corner, and Miss Shaw was still receiving 
the congratulations of the school board when the two 
little girls stepped out on the hard trodden path, on 
each side of which the snow was heaped high. 

“ This is what I have to show you,” said Winifred ; 
“it’s a letter from Mrs. Hargate, my beautiful rich 
lady ; and what do you suppose she wants ? ” 

“ I can’t imagine ; ” and Felicia’s eyes were big with 
wonder. 

Winifred opened the letter, turned to the second 
page, and read in a solemn voice : 

“ ‘ And I should be delighted to have your friend 
Felicia come with you for the two weeks.’ ” 

Felicia’s breath came quickly. 

“For what two weeks? What does she mean, 
Winifred ? ” 

“ She means two weeks of the spring vacation, 
next month,” said Winifred; “she wants us to visit 
her in her big city house where there’s a grand piano 
and an elevator, and a conservatory, and oh ! I can’t 
think of half the wonderful things the little city girl 
19 


20 


Felicia Visits 


that was at Sweetbriar Lodge last summer told me — 
but won’t it be perfectly beautiful, Felicia ?” 

“It sounds lovely,” said Felicia, slowly, “if father 
thinks I may go.” 

“ Why, of course he will,” said Winifred. “ That’s 
just what mother said, but of course he couldn’t bear 
to have you lose such a chance, and beside, here’s a 
special note for him, see, to ask for the pleasure of 
your company,” and she drew from her pocket a small 
envelope addressed to “ The Reverend Mr. Lane.” 
“ It came in mine, and she left it unsealed ; mother 
says that’s for politeness, but of course we haven’t read 
it. Oh, Felicia, just think ! Shall we run ahead now 
and catch up with your father, and ask him, just as 
soon as Mrs. Cope lets go of him ? ” 

“I don’t know as he’d like to decide in such a 
hurry,” said Felicia; “but I’ll tell you what you 
might do, Winifred ; you might go home with father, 
and tell him, and then as soon as I’ve seen what Mrs. 
Cope wants to show me, I’ll run home, and then if it’s 
all right, we can begin to plan.” 

“ I don’t see what there is to decide,” said Winifred 
impatiently, “ but that’s what I’ll do ; and don’t stay 
long at Mrs. Cope’s, please, Felicia, for I shall be just 
about crazy waiting for you.” 

The children hurried on, and reached Mrs. Cope 
and the minister just as they were saying good-bye at 
Mrs. Cope’s gate. 

“ I’m going home with you, Mr. Lane, if you’ll let 


21 


Mrs. Cope Entertains 

me, for I have a very important message to deliver,” 
said Winifred, “ and I’d like to wait for Felicia.” 

“I feel much honored,” said the minister, with a 
fine bow to Winifred, and they walked on together, 
while Mrs. Cope led the way to her door, with Felicia 
close behind her. 

“What kind of a message has she got for your 
father, I’d like to know?” said Mrs. Cope, as she 
turned the key in the lock and opened the door ; “ but 
there, I presume it’s nothing but some of her non- 
sense! She delights in pretending to have mysteries 
and secrets, that child does.” 

Mrs. Cope was too satisfied w r ith her own explana- 
tion, and too full of what she wished to show Felicia, 
to notice that the little girl made no reply. Felicia 
was glad, for although Mrs. Cope was such a kind 
friend, she liked to know everything that went on in 
Blackberry Hill as soon as it happened, if not a little 
beforehand. 

“ This is why I asked you to come in,” she said to 
Felicia, drawing her along the hall to the dining-room, 
and through that room into the kitchen, at last stop- 
ping in the pantry. “ I got these for to-morrow’s 
dinner — for the table — and I want you to come with 
your father, and I shall invite Mrs. Harlow to bring 
Winifred, and have Henry Fosdick, he being a lone 
man, and I should ask Mr. Gregg, only I hear he’s 
gone to the city for a few days — something about 
books, I believe — though I must say I should think 


22 


Felicia Visits 


his eyes and head would give out reading what he 
owns, already. I shall step down to the station this 
afternoon to invite the Harlows, and I asked Henry 
Fosdick this morning.” 

“ You do have such splendid parties, Mrs. Cope,” 
said Felicia. “ Oh, what are those ? Real cher- 
ries ? ” 

“ Ho, they are just make-believes,” said Mrs. Cope, 
“ but aren’t they natural ? And you see these hatchets ? 
How what I want to know is, would you put one in 
front of each plate, or pile them up in the middle, 
or how ? You see it’s to be a surprise to Miss Shaw, 
so I don’t wish to consult her a mite. How would 
it be if you ran over to-morrow morning about eleven, 
and helped me get ready ? Could you spare the time, 
not having any dinner to get ? ” 

“ Yes, indeed,” said the minister’s little housekeeper. 
“ Winifred is coming for a while about ten, and Miss 
Shaw too, for Winifred and me to play over our five 
finger duet. You’d laugh to hear us, Mrs. Cope, but 
we love to do it.” 

“ I don’t see any call to laugh at young folks doing 
the best they can,” said Mrs. Cope. “ Why can’t you 
two children play it over here in the afternoon ? I’ll 
engage not to have any laughs going on while you 
do it.” 

“ Oh, but we shouldn’t mind if you did laugh,” and 
Felicia put her arm around Mrs. Cope, whose face 
instantly softened ; “ we know it’s funny. We’ll play 


Mrs. Cope Entertains 23 

it if you’d like to have us ; I’d just as soon, and I know 
Winifred would, too.” 

“ That’s good,” said Mrs. Cope ; “ and now you may 
run along home, if you like, for Winifred is probably 
on pins and needles by this time, thinking you’ve been 
gone all day.” 

When Felicia opened the study door she found her 
father and Winifred, one on each side of the fireplace, 
looking, she thought, as if they were a little disturbed 
about something. 

She went to her father’s chair, and Mr. Lane put 
his arm around her, drawing her close to his side. 
She looked at him questioningly, and he shook his 
head. 

“ I’m afraid not, Felicia,” he said gently ; “ you 
know how much I like to have you enjoy all the good 
things that come your way, but I shall have to say 
6 no ’ this time, sorry as I am to do it.” 

Winifred’s face was shadowed by disappointment. 
It was evident that only her slight awe of the minister 
checked her speech. 

- “ Winifred can’t quite understand my reasons,” said 
Mr. Lane, smiling across at her sober face ; “ but she 
says she 6 supposes she’ll have to believe I know best ’ — 
I appreciate that.” 

Winifred’s cheeks grew red. 

“ I — of course a minister must know,” she said, 
winking rapidly ; “ but it did seem as if it would be 
just the best thing in the world for Felicia and me to 


H 


Felicia Visits 


have that visit together ; it seemed like what mother 
calls a rare opportunity.” 

“ I’m sorry to disappoint you both,” said Mr. Lane 
kindly, “ but I think you’ll find your mother under- 
stands my position, Winifred. You know Mrs. Hargate 
well, but Felicia has never seen her, and much as I ap- 
preciate her wishing to give you both pleasure, I think 
it would not be wise to let my little girl accept her invita- 
tion. I shall have to see if I cannot help her enjoy the va- 
cation at home. I think her mother would like that best. ’ ’ 

There had been a faint shade on Felicia’s bright 
face, as she looked from her father to Winifred, but at 
his last words it vanished. 

“Why, we’ll have a splendid time, father dear,” 
she said, nestling closer to him ; “ and Winifred will 
write me, and then when she comes home, she’ll have 
a great deal to tell. I consider you a remarkable 
visitor,” and she crossed the hearth to sit on the arm 
of Winifred’s chair. “ You see everything and hear 
everything, and you remember it all. I’ve never visited 
anywhere except at grandmother’s ; often I’ve won- 
dered what it would be like to visit — stay over night 
away from home.” 

“ It isn’t any different after you get to sleep,” said 
Winifred in her most matter-of-fact tone. “ I’ve been 
at Sweetbriar Lodge, and at the Wadleighs’, and with 
a cousin of mother’s in Nashua ; it’s queer when you 
go to bed the first night, and when you wake up — but 
after that you don’t mind it.” 


25 


Mrs. Cope Entertains 

After a few minutes Winifred went home. She 
shook hands with Mr. Lane, and kissed Felicia at the 
gate in a subdued way, walking slowly down the road 
from the parsonage. But at Mrs. Cope’s dinner party 
the next day she had fully recovered her spirits. 

“ You’ll miss her considerable, while she’s gone, I 
suppose,” said Mrs. Cope to Mrs. Harlow, who was 
seated at her left hand ; “ Felicia was over helping me 
a little this morning, and she told me all about it. I 
think Mr. Lane showed his usual judgment in deciding 
not to let Felicia go — of course it’s different with Wini- 
fred.” 

“ Certainly it is,” said Mrs. Harlow, smiling to 
herself over Mrs. Cope’s tone of superiority, for they 
had known each other all their lives. “ I realize that 
I can’t give Winifred as much liberty nor as many 
advantages, living where we do, as I could in a regular 
house-home. And seeing so many folks as she does, 
conductors, brakemen and all that come to take the 
trains, and everybody making much of her, and en- 
couraging her to talk, she’s liable to get a mite pert 
once in a while. Being cooped up in a city house 
where she has to behave pretty from morning till 
night, will do her good — besides what she’ll enjoy in 
the way of sights.” 

Winifred was at the minister’s left, and her awe of 
the day before seemed quite departed as she leaned 
across him to speak to Miss Shaw. 

“ Are there four cherries on your imitation tree ? ” 


26 


Felicia Visits 


she asked. “ Then that’s special, on account of the 
exhibition yesterday, for the rest of us have only three ; 
I’ve counted them all. Did you ever see such darling 
little flower pots, all ruffled green paper ? and it’s only 
pasteboard inside ; I felt sure that was it, for it was 
so light^but I squeezed mine till it cracked, so now I 
know for certain. Have you seen that plate of candy 
hatchets in front of Felicia ? ” 

“ I think I’ve seen everything,” said Miss Shaw, 
across the minister. 

“ I must say you’ve outdone yourself, ma’am,” Mr. 
Fosdick remarked to his hostess ; he had the seat of 
honor at her right hand that day, the minister being 
seated opposite. “ What with a flag for each button- 
hole, a cherry tree for a window-piece for each living- 
room, and an abundance of hatchets and mottoes, I 
don’t see but what we’re fully up to the mark of these 
millionaire entertainments you read about in the papers. 
I never looked to hear of such fashionable goings on in 
Blackberry Hill, much less be a part of ’em.” 

The company laughed, but when the merriment was 
over Mrs. Cope spoke with decision. 

“ I don’t know any reason why folks should sit right 
down back to everything, and let all new notions pass 
by, just because they don’t live in a noisy, overcrowded 
spot,” she said. “ Felicia, will you step into the kitchen 
and bring in the dessert, same as we planned, soon as 
I get these plates out of the way ? Ho, all keep your 
sitting now, please — I have it planned, so I don’t need 


27 


Mrs. Cope Entertains 

assistance. Though I do miss Loreena Parks, I’m glad 
she’s taking a few days’ vacation ; still I don’t know 
as she’d hardly call it that, entertaining her cousin 
that she’s never seen before.” 

When Felicia came in, bearing a tray on which were 
seven saucers each containing a mammoth cherry, with 
a stout green stem sticking straight up into the air, 
there was a chorus of “ Oh’s ” from the guests. 

“ This is the cap sheaf,” announced Mrs. Harlow. 
“ You never made those, now did you, Lydia Cope ? ” 
“They came by express way from the city,” an- 
swered Mrs. Cope, trying to speak carelessly, as if such 
things were every-day matters to her. Then her pride 
got the better of her desire to appear indifferent. “ I’ll 
show you how they were packed, after dinner,” 
she said ; “ and you can eat every mite, even the 
stems.” 

When these last wonders of domestic art had been 
consumed, and the dinner came to an end, Mrs. Cope 
was pleased to show the curious little tin moulds in 
which the ices had been packed. Then the company 
left the spotless kitchen and adjourned to the parlor. 

“ I understand the two youngest members of this 
party are about to favor us with a duet,” said Mr. 
Fosdick ; “ or does that come later on in the program, 
after Miss Shaw has performed ? ” 

“Oh, I think we’d better play first,” said Felicia 
hastily ; “ I mean if Mrs. Cope would like to have us ; 
for then you’d have Miss Shaw’s playing in your ears, 


28 


Felicia Visits 


and perhaps you’d forget just how ours sounded, and 
think it was better than it is.” 

“ That seems as if you had some doubts of yourself,” 
admonished Mr. Fosdick soberly. “Is it possible you 
aren’t at home on the instrument, after more than six 
weeks’ practice, Felicia ? Well, now, I am surprised ! 
I thought likely you could wander over the keys free 
and easy by this time.” 

“ That’s a good deal like what we do,” said Felicia 
demurely ; but Winifred undeniably giggled. 

“ You just wait till you hear us,” she said, as she 
took her seat in a high chair arranged by Mrs. Cope 
beside the piano stool on which Felicia was to sit. 

“ The name of this selection is i The Lark and the 
Bumblebee,’ ” said Miss Shaw, who stood close behind 
her small pupils to give any help which might be 
needed. 

“ Felicia’s the lark and I’m the bumblebee,” added 
Winifred in a choked voice. 

“ One, two, three,” counted Miss Shaw softly, and 
the duet began. 

When it was ended, after one or two pauses of 
considerable length, the guests applauded with much 
energy. 

“ I liked that,” said Mrs. Harlow ; “ that part where 
Felicia played alone a few notes, and then repeated 
them with you, was real pretty.” 

“I ought to have played the first time,” said 
Winifred, “ but my fingers got stuck in between the 


29 


Mrs. Cope Entertains 

black keys some way ; and that time when we stopped, 
it was because I’d lost my place. I think anybody 
needs two sets of eyes — one for her fingers and one for 
the notes.” 

“ You did pretty well,” said Mrs. Cope, patting her 
shoulder, for this was one of Mrs. Cope’s most cheer- 
ful days. 

“But Felicia has real talent,” she said later on, 
to Mr. Lane. “ It shows in the way she puts her 
fingers down on the keys, Miss Shaw says — and I 
notice it myself. I have plenty of music in me, 
though it’s never been brought out.” 

“ Felicia,” said Winifred as the two friends parted 
for the night, “ shall you practice all the time when 
vacation comes, while I’m away ? If you do, I shall 
be so far behind when I come back, I’ll never catch 
up.” 

“ Don’t worry about that, Winifred,” said the 
minister, coming up in time to hear her words ; “ Felicia 
will have other things to do beside her practicing when 
you go away. I’ll see that she doesn’t leave you too 
far behind.” 

“ Thank you,” said Winifred earnestly. “ For you 
know, Mr. Lane, there isn’t any visit in this world that 
would pay me for being so far behind that Felicia 
wouldn’t like to play with me any more ; but the lower 
part is always easier than the upper, isn’t it?” she 
asked wistfully. 

“If you couldn’t play but one note in a measure 


3 ° 


Felicia Visits 


and that one was wrong, I’d never want to stop play- 
ing with you,’” said Felicia, in a tone that comforted 
Winifred at once ; “ aren’t you my very best, intimate 
friend ? As if a few notes were half as important as 
that, Winifred ! ” 


CHAPTER III 


AN AFTERNOON AT GREEN CORNERS 

The weeks flew by, with wind and snow, with study 
and music, and the day came when Winifred was to 
set forth on her journey to the city, for her two weeks’ 
visit to Mrs. Hargate. Felicia was at the station to 
see her off, and so were many of her other Blackberry 
Hill friends, both old and young, including Miss Shaw 
and Mrs. Cope. 

“ I understand you are going down to the Junction 
in Mr. Wadleigh’s care,” said Mrs. Cope ; “ that’s 
good, so far ; but the rest of the way of course Mrs. 
Harlow has cautioned you not to look at any strange 
folks or speak to them ; I should look out of the 
window ; that’s the best plan. And have you got 
your purse in a safe place ? I don’t trust my money 
in the sight of strangers, ever; they may be honest 
as the sun, but ’tisn’t best to put temptation in their 
way.” 

“ Felicia came up here alone almost a year ago,” said 
Winifred, “ and she got on all right.” 

“ Felicia is different from most children,” said Mrs. 
Cope, “ and besides she had sense to pick out Mrs. Top- 
ham for a seat-mate. She inherits a good deal of judg- 
31 


32 Felicia Visits 

ment from her father, and maybe from her mother, 
too.” 

Winifred’s cheeks flushed, but she gave her head a 
toss. 

“ If I am only Mother Harlow’s adopted daughter,” 
she said, “ I guess I’ve inherited some of her judgment 
by this time, being with her ever since before I could 
talk plain.” 

“Well there, I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings,” 
said Mrs. Cope. “ I presume you’ll act just as well as 
any little girl need. And here’s a box of salted peanuts 
to take with you, and I hope you’ll have a real pleasant 
visit.” 

Winifred took the box, and gave Mrs. Cope a warm 
good-bye kiss, for they were great friends in spite of 
frequent differences of opinion, and much criticism on 
Mrs. Cope’s part. 

Felicia had the last good-bye, for she gave Winifred’s 
hand a parting squeeze on the lower step of the car, 
while Mrs. Harlow waved her handkerchief from the 
doorway. 

“ I wish you were going,” said Winifred tremulously ; 
“ I shall wish it every minute ! ” 

“ You enjoy it for me, too,” called Felicia softly, 

“ and you’ll be sure to write ” Then there was no 

more time for words, as Mr. Wadleigh held up his hand 
as a signal to the engineer, and the train puffed slowly 
out of sight around the curve, and sent back a shrill 
whistle of farewell from the bridge. 


An Afternoon at Green Corners 33 

“Now, Felicia,” said Mrs. Harlow as the little girl 
turned at last from the track, “ you remember I count 
on you to run down and see me just as often as 
you can. I’ve a sort of plan in my head that 
I’ll tell you about next time. I think maybe you’d 
like it.” 

“ Yes’m,” said Felicia. She had been staring along 
the shining rails as if she hoped to see Winifred flying 
back to her, and her eyes were a little dazed, but she 
shook Mrs. Harlow’s hand warmly, and then joined the 
group of which Miss Shaw was the centre, surrounded 
by Hilliards and French’s, while big Nate Horner tow- 
ered over it from the outer edge. 

Mrs. Cope had gone into the station to have a visit 
with Mrs. Harlow, so Felicia put her arm through Miss 
Shaw’s and they walked on together, the boys march- 
ing on behind. 

“ I am going over to Green Corners with father and 
Mr. Topham this afternoon,” said Felicia, “ to do some 
shopping ; he says it’s a surprise for me, and I can’t 
imagine what he means.” 

“ Don’t look at me as if you thought I knew, Felicia,” 
said Miss Shaw. “ Your father has not told me his 
plans for to-day.” 

Nate Horner was close behind them at the moment, 
and to Felicia’s surprise he blurted out : 

“ I’ll bet I know what he means ! ” and then turned 
crimson, as Felicia and Miss Shaw faced about. “I 
don’t know a thing ! ” he added. “ Not a thing ! I 


Felicia Visits 


34 

was only guessing, on account of — well, no matter,” 
and his voice rumbled away into silence. 

“It’s lucky Winifred isn’t here,” said Ned Hilliard; 
“ she’d be hopping to hear you begin to tell and then 
stop. But Winifred’s all right,” he added hastily, 
catching Felicia’s eye; “she’s a first-rate girl, only she 
doesn’t like secrets, unless they’re her own.” 

“ That is the kind most of us like best,” laughed Miss 
Shaw. “Never mind, Felicia, it is almost eleven 
o’clock now, and by three o’clock you’ll know; that 
makes only four hours to wait.” 

“ And meanwhile there’s dinner to get and the dishes 
to wash and put away, and myself to dress,” said Felicia. 
“ Miss Loreena is coming to-morrow, but father and I 
made her promise to stay at home and rest to-day. 
She says she visited so hard with her cousin for those 
two weeks, it tuckered her all out, and she hasn’t yet 
got back to where she was before. But she said her 
little contrivance to aid the hearing that Mr. Ledyard 
gave her at Christmas kept her from losing a single 
word — and her cousin is a very fast talker, too.” 

“Winifred has gone, father,” said Felicia a few 
minutes later, as she tiptoed into the study, and found 
her father straightening out his table drawer ; “ she’s 
really gone, and I feel a little bit lonesome. Would it 
disturb you if I took Martin out of his parlor and had 
him in the kitchen for a while for company ? ” 

“ Not at all,” said Mr. Lane promptly. “ My writ- 
ing is done for to-day, and I had been thinking the 


An Afternoon at Green Corners 35 

house seemed quieter than usual. By all means invite 
Martin into the kitchen; and suppose you leave the 
study door open ; it is a cold day ; and didn’t I hear 
you say something about an Indian pudding ? ” 

“ Oh, father, you are so satisfactory,” said Felicia ; 
“ that’s what Mrs. Cope said to Mr. Fosdick, and I’m 
sure it’s as true as true can be. I’ll leave the door 
open, and — you wait a minute — there, doesn’t that 
smell good?” 

She opened the oven door enough to let out a whiff 
of something delicious, and closed it softly and quickly 
again. 

“ Ah ! ” said Mr. Lane, “ I see now why you were 
so careful about the fire before you went out. And if 
I’m satisfactory to you, Felicia, I am happy to say I 
can return the compliment.” 

“ Winifred has gone, Martin,” said Felicia, as she 
settled the parrot on the kitchen table, putting his cage 
in such a position that he commanded a fine view of 
Mrs. Cope’s house, and the snowy field between it and 
the parsonage. “ She will be gone two whole weeks, 
and perhaps over the third Sunday ; that is a long, long 
time, Martin, when your most intimate friend goes 
away.” 

“ Martin is a gentleman,” said the parrot in his most 
wheedling voice, “ Fe-licia — Martin is a gentleman.” 

“ Yes, you are,” said Felicia, “ and Mrs. Topham has 
said that if I can wrap you up warm enough, she’d like 
me to take you over to the farm some day next week, 


Felicia Visits 


3 6 

and let Jenkins see you, cage and all. She thinks it 
might tame his spirit, and make him consider how it 
would be if they decided to pen him up close. He is 
a very naughty goat, Martin. Bobby Simpson says 
nobody in the world but the Tophams would bear with 
him. He ate up two pillow-cases last week. Just 
think of that ! ” 

“Martin is a gentleman,” the parrot asserted, in 
rather a sulky tone, as if he suspected Felicia of con- 
necting him with the loss of the pillow-cases. He 
looked across the field, and side-stepped along his perch 
as if to get a better view. 

“ You would never do such a thing,” said Felicia, and 
she coaxed him back with her finger. “ You’d never 
eat anything the least like a pillow-case, I’m sure.” 

“ Good-morning,” said Martin less sulkily, accepting 
Felicia’s attentions, closing his beak softly over her fin- 
ger, not to hurt it. “ The best of luck.” 

“ I don’t know just what I shall do all the while 
Winifred is gone,” said Felicia, as she set about getting 
the dinner, “ but as Mrs. Topham says, we live only one 
day at a time, and if you can’t enjoy the present, Mar- 
tin, you can never enjoy anything. Do you understand 
that ? ” 

Martin, with one leg in the air, regarded her fixedly, 
but did not commit himself. 

“ Beautiful,” he said, “ beautiful, be-au-tiful ! ” 

“ I’ll tell you something,” said Felicia confidentially ; 
“ I don’t quite understand it myself. Some time I shall 


An Afternoon at Green Corners 37 

ask father ; but I think it means that if you get out of 
the way of enjoying things, it isn’t easy to begin again.” 

“ Good-morning,” said Martin, “ good-morning,” and 
he held a claw toward Felicia. 

When three o’clock came, and the Tophams’ sleigh 
jingled up to the parsonage gate, Felicia and her father 
were all ready, and wasted no time. 

“You’re well bundled up, and I’m glad to see it,” 
said Mr. Topham, as he tucked the old fur robe around 
the little girl who was to have the back seat all to her- 
self, the two men in front helping to shield her from 
the cold wind. “March is put down for a spring 
month in the calendar, but for searching weather it 
goes ahead of any winter month that I’m acquainted 
with. How, how are you feeling ? ” 

“ Like a mummy,” laughed Felicia, her voice muffled 
by the veil tied securely over her head. “ I’m sorry 
Mrs. Topham couldn’t come.” 

“ She and Mrs. Desmazes are concocting something,” 
said Mr. Topham as he took his seat beside the minis- 
ter. “ I don’t know what it is, and thought best not to 
be too curious ; but it has a smell that makes your 
mouth water, and I’m hoping it’s designed for my sup- 
per.” 

When they reached the post-office, Mr. Topham 
sprang out, and going inside slipped a letter through 
the slit, at the same time saying a word in the ear of 
Mr. Fosdick, who looked out through the door and 
nodded to Felicia, but did not step outside. He seemed 


Felicia Visits 


38 

much pleased with what Mr. Topham said to him, and 
the two men clapped each other on the shoulder, as the 
short interview closed. 

“ Letter I had to post for my wife — very important,” 
said Mr. Topham, as he took his seat again. “ I don’t 
know what she’d have said to me if I’d forgotten it.” 

The ride to Green Corners was delightful ; the sleigh 
flew over the frozen road, the bells jingled, the loose 
snow from the last light fall blew in a fine powder 
across the little girl’s face, and the March wind stung 
her cheeks, even through her veil. Here and there a 
robin redbreast made a spot of color on the snow, and 
a number of squirrels and chipmunks scurried along 
stone walls, racing with the sleigh, and then vanishing 
suddenly, so that Felicia could never tell whether they 
had really won or not. 

There were three or four shops at Green Corners, and 
when Mr. Topham had driven into a convenient horse- 
shed and Mr. Lane had gone to see Dr. Cobbett, with 
whom he had a class of the mill-hands on Saturday 
afternoons, Mr. Topham and Felicia prepared to make 
a tour of the shopping district. 

“ Your father’ll only be half an hour to-day, he tells 
me,” said Mr. Topham, “ for Dr. Cobbett has planned a 
stereopticon entertainment for the class this evening, 
instead of their regular study in the afternoon.” 

“ Yes,” said Felicia, “ he’s only going to help Dr. Cob- 
bett arrange the slides and see that they are all right. 
Which place shall we go first, Mr. Topham ? ” 


An Afternoon at Green Corners 39 

“ I incline to the apothecary’s, if you ask me,” said 
Mr. Topham ; “ from the time I was a little fellow I al- 
ways thought if I could own one of those beautiful 
great jars, red or green or blue, it would be about all my 
heart could desire. And inside there are all sorts of in- 
teresting things. But if you prefer the dry-goods first, 
dry-goods it shall be.” 

“No indeed,” said Felicia, and they went up the two 
low steps into the little apothecary shop, where a rosy- 
faced boy was in charge, during the temporary absence 
of the proprietor. 

“ If I were to ask you to put me up three z by half 
an ounce of double m,” said Mr. Topham, “ what would 
you do, my young man ? ” and he looked inquiringly at 
the clerk. 

“ I should say you’d have to wait fifteen minutes till 
Mr. Gray comes back,” said the boy with a broad smile. 
“ Is that a prescription ? ” 

“ Maybe, and maybe not,” said Mr. Topham. “ Now 
how would it seem, on the other hand, if I asked you 
to put me up half a pound of gum-drops, and a dozen 
sticks of that striped candy, leaving the strings kind of 
loose at the top ? ” 

“ It would seem all right,” said the boy. 

“ So do, then,” said Mr. Topham, “ and no need to 
hurry, for this young lady and I have a little extra time. 
What comes out of this soda-fountain of yours ? ” 

“ All kinds of syrup drinks, made by Mrs. Drake, 
right here in this town, and hot chocolate ’s in this other 


40 Felicia Visits 

place, made by the same. We sell a great deal,” said 
the boy glibly. 

Felicia had her small purse in her hand, and now she 
touched Mr. Topham’s arm. 

“ When father comes from Dr. Cobbett’s,” she said 
eagerly, “ I want to invite you and him to have a cup of 
chocolate with me ; father gave me some extra money, 
that he would have given me if I’d gone off to the city 
with Winifred, and I’m very rich. He gave me fifty 
cents,” she whispered close in her friend’s ear, “ so you 
see I can afford it.” 

“ I shall be more than proud,” said Mr. Topham as 
the boy handed him the two packages of candy, “ and 
we’ll save these for dessert. We’ll see you again in a 
little while,” he said to the boy, and Felicia smiled at 
him as they went out of the door, Mr. Topham putting 
the packages in one of his deep coat-pockets. 

“ I don’t know how you feel about a plumber’s stove 
and tinware shop,” said Mr. Topham, “ but seems to me 
that would be a pretty fair choice for second.” 

“ I love the stove and tinware part,” said Felicia, 
“ and I want you to help me choose a cooky cutter for 
a surprise to father, Mr. Topham.” 

“ I declare I wish my wife was here,” said Mr. Top- 
ham a few minutes later, when Felicia and the tin-man 
waited for his decision as to the relative merits of a 
four-leaved clover and a star. “I’m not used to so 
much responsibility. Well, if I must choose, I’d take 
the clover leaf, for all my life I’ve hunted for one, off 


An Afternoon at Green Corners 41 

and on, and never found it. Others will be walking 
along, and say, 4 Why, there’s a four-leaf clover,’ and 
stoop and pick it. They tell me it seems to stand out 
from the others and crane its head right up at them — 
but ’twas never so with me.” 

“ I’ll take the four-leaf clover, please,” said Felicia, 
and she put the little package carefully in her bag, and 
drew the strings up tight. 

They had scarcely finished their inspection of the 
tin-shop when Mr. Lane joined them. Then they all 
went into the biggest shop, which had three parts ; a 
grocery section, a dry-goods department, and an added 
room, with a window which overlooked the river, and 
gave a view of the busy factories, now locked in their 
Saturday afternoon silence. In this room were dolls, 
and toys, and all sorts of “notions.” Even Willowby 
could not boast such a place. It had been opened 
within a month, and Felicia had heard of it from her 
father, and longed to see it. 

“ Oh, see the sleds ! ” she cried, “ and, father ! Mr. 
Topham ! those are snow-shoes, like the ones Nate 
Horner’s cousin brought him at Christmas. See ! ” 

To her amazement the smiling young woman in 
charge took from the shelf two pairs of snow-shoes, 
rather smaller than the rest, and held them up for Mr. 
Lane’s inspection. 

“Are those about the right size?” she asked, and 
Mr. Lane said, “ Yes,” and thanked her. “ They came 
yesterday,” said the young woman. 


42 


Felicia Visits 


“ Oh, father ! ” said Felicia, clutching his arm, and 
dancing up and down in her excitement. “ Are those 
for me — and for ” 

“ For you and for Winifred,” said Mr. Lane, putting 
his hand over hers, “ and Nate will teach you how to 
use them — and Miss Shaw has a pair, too.” 

“ Oh, and may I begin right away to learn ? ” asked 
Felicia — “so I could help Winifred when she comes 
home ? ” 

“I’m afraid there will not be much time for Wini- 
fred this year, unless there is a late spring,” said Mr. 
Lane, “ but it seemed a good opportunity to get the 
snow-shoes ; and I found out the other day that Nate 
would be glad to teach you to use them, and Miss 
Shaw, he told me, brought a pair with her. I sug- 
gested to Nate that he might ask Miss Shaw to go 
snow-shoeing this evening, as there is no rehearsal — 
and I’ve sent word to him that you might join the 
party.” 

“ Oh,” said Felicia again, and that was all she said 
at the time. 

But her father and Mr. Topham exchanging glances 
over their cups of hot chocolate, later, were well 
pleased with her face. And when at last Felicia and 
the minister were at home again, and the Topham 
sleigh had jingled down the road, the little girl threw 
her arms around her father’s neck. 

“ Oh,” she said once more, “ I almost pity Winifred, 
father. ’Way olf from Blackberry Hill, visiting.” 


CHAPTER IY 


SNOW-SHOES AND INVITATIONS 

The tall old clock had just struck the hour of seven 
that night when Mrs. Cope’s knocker fell with such a 
clang and clatter against the door that Mrs. Cope her- 
self, half dozing before the fire, sprang to her feet. 

“ Mercy on us ! is the house coming down ? ” she 
cried ; but Miss Shaw, who came running down the 
stairs in a short skirt and jacket with a little fur 
turban on her head, laughed reassuringly. 

“ It’s only Hate Horner,” she said. “ He probably 
let the knocker slip, after pulling it as high as it will 
go. The poor boy always overdoes things, with the 
best intentions in the world. Suppose we don’t let 
him know how loud it sounded,” she coaxed, as Mrs. 
Cope walked to the door with a somewhat severe ex- 
pression. 

As she opened the door, however, her irritation van- 
ished, and amusement took its place, for beside Hate, 
who was the picture of confusion, stood Felicia, her 
coat well powdered with snow, and behind her was the 
minister, laughing at his little girl who clutched him 
with one hand and Hate with the other. 

“ Felicia tried to run up the path,” said Mr. Lane, 
“ and she didn’t know how her snow-shoes would act. 

43 


44 


Felicia Visits 


Nate and I picked her up and shook the snow off as 
well as we could, but there seems to be a good deal 
left on her.” 

“ You can’t step in with those great things on your 
feet,” said Mrs. Cope, “ but I’ll hand your father a 
clothes-brush.” 

“ Oh, it won’t be a bit of use, Mrs. Cope,” laughed 
Felicia, “ for I’m sure to keep on falling, again and 
again. But it’s great fun! I wish you could come 
with us.” 

“Well, just hear that child!” said Mrs. Cope. 
“ Don’t you know folks of my age can’t go tumbling 
into snow-drifts without breaking bones, or getting 
rheumatism at the least ? And my feet haven’t ever 
been any too light at the best of times ; I might as 
well put a couple of rowboats on ’em, and then try to 
step off, as to undertake what you’re doing.” 

While she talked, Nate was helping Miss Shaw put 
on her snow-shoes, and when that was accomplished, 
they moved Felicia down from the door-stone to the 
path, turned her carefully around, and then each tak- 
ing one of her hands, Miss Shaw and Nate piloted her 
safely down to the gate, and through it. 

In spite of her fears of rheumatism, Mrs. Cope, hastily 
donning a pair of overshoes, and wrapping herself in a 
thick shawl, ventured down the path, and stood for a 
few minutes at the gate to watch the three swaying 
figures, and hear the laughs that rang out as Felicia 
was saved from one fall after another, and then as soon 


Snow-Shoes and Invitations 45 

as her companions allowed her to take a few steps 
alone, pitched forward into the snow. 

44 But she did better than last time,” said Mrs. Cope 
to the minister, 4 4 and here ’tis only fifteen minutes since 
she put them on her feet for the first time. She’s quick 
to learn anything; she is a remarkable child, Mr. 
Lane.” 

44 1 think not,” said the minister. 44 She’s a dear lit- 
tle girl, Mrs. Cope, but I hardly think any one except 
our good friends in Blackberry Hill would call Felicia 
remarkable; though she has, perhaps, an unusually 
sunny temper.” 

Mrs. Cope looked at him with as much annoyance as 
she was capable of feeling toward her minister. 

44 All I can say is,” she remarked firmly, 44 that I guess 
if she’d been some children, left to keep house for you 
in a strange place, you’d have seen the difference,” with 
which enigmatical statement she drew her shawl closer 
about her, and did not address Mr. Lane again for 
nearly two minutes. 

44 There ! ” she said in a tone of triumph, as she saw 
Felicia take half a dozen steps and, turning around, wave 
her hand to the two figures at the gate. 44 How I feel 
I can go in the house. I call her proficient already. 
Suppose you come back into the house with me, and 
get real warmed up, before it’s time to go for the even- 
ing mail. How long are they planning to run around 
on those big things ? ” 

44 Only an hour,” said Mr. Lane, 44 but I think I won’t 


Felicia Visits 


46 

come in to-night, thank you. Nate promised to bring 
Felicia back at eight o’clock.” 

“ Oh, it was such fun ! ” Felicia told her father when 
he had taken off her snow-shoes and she was toasting 
her hands before the study fire. “ There’s a splendid 
crust, and we walked right over the stone walls and 
everything. I never felt so — so free, in all my life be- 
fore. But I’m sleepy, father. I don’t know as I can 
keep awake till you come back from the post-office,” 
and Felicia’s hand was barely quick enough to hide her 
yawn. “I suppose it’s this warm room, after the 
cold.” 

“ Don’t try to stay awake,” said Mr. Lane. “ Come, 
I’ll settle you in my big chair, and you curl up for a 
nap while I’m gone. You might as well wait till I 
come back, before going to bed.” 

He put Felicia in the big armchair, and his footsteps 
had scarcely passed out of hearing before the little 
girl’s eyes had closed, and in five minutes more she was 
fast asleep. She did not know when her father re- 
turned ; she could not have told what sound waked her, 
but as she opened her eyes she saw first her father’s 
figure standing on the hearth, back to the fire, and then 
— what were the white things lying on the arms of the 
old chair ? Felicia rubbed her eyes, and looked again. 

“ Am I dreaming, father,” she asked, “ or do I see 
letters and letters, all for me ? ” 

“ You are not dreaming,” said the minister, “ though 



“IT WAS SUCH FUN!” 





’ 
















Snow-Shoes and Invitations 47 

I can’t say you are particularly wide-awake yet, little 
girl. Why don’t you touch one of the letters ? Dreams 
vanish, you know, when you try to touch them.” 

Felicia put her hand out, and gathered up the 
square envelopes which lay on the right arm of the 
chair. 

“ One — two — three,” she counted. She gathered her 
treasures from the other arm — “ four — five — six, and a 
picture post-card. Why, father ! father, what do you 
suppose they are ? ” 

“ I think you are almost unkind to keep me in sus- 
pense,” said her father, but Felicia caught a gleam of 
amusement in his eyes. “ Why don’t you read 
them ? ” 

“ I believe you know about them all — every one,” 
and Felicia shook her head at him. “ I’ll read the post- 
card first — why, it’s from Winifred ! It’s a picture of 
Niagara Falls. How pretty ; but she didn’t go near 
them, did she, father ? Oh, no, I see what she’s writ- 
ten. Father, you come and sit on the arm of the chair, 
the way I do when you’re in it, and read over my 
shoulder.” 

“ Dear Felicia,” was scrawled in Winifred’s strag- 
gling hand in the small space allowed for correspond- 
ence ; “ I’m not any whare near these, but I bought it 
from a man on the car who came through to sell them. 
He says you will get it to-night. It takes my love, 
respeckts to your father, and I wish you were with me. 

“ Winifred.” 


Felicia Visits 


48 

“ I shall put that on my bureau,” said Felicia. “ And 
now I will open this first letter. Why, father, it’s from 
Mr. Gregg, see ! ” 


“ My dear little Friend,” ran the short letter, 
“ would you do me the honor to spend next Friday with 
me ? I have planned to ask your friend, Bobby Simp- 
son, and my cousin, Mrs. Lunt, who has come to keep 
house for me, promises to have something especially 

f ood for dinner. She is anxious to have some visitors, 
hope you can arrange to come. 

“ Your friend, 

“ Silas Gregg.” 


“ Oh ! ” breathed Felicia again, as she put the letter 
carefully back in its envelope, and ran her father’s little 
paper-cutter through the next one. 

“ It’s from Mr. Fosdick,” she said ; “ please read it 
out loud, father.” 


“ 4 Dear Felicia,’ ” read the minister, as the little girl 
held the sheet up for him to see ; “ 4 could you make it 
convenient to spend next Wednesday with me, to help 
me straighten out my housekeeping? I should be 
grateful, and should be pleased to have your father 
come to supper with us. We shall probably be in the 
midst of things at noon, and so have a light dinner. I 
hope you can come without fail, for I’m in need. 

44 4 Yours truly, 

44 4 Henry Fosdick.’ ” 


Snow-Shoes and Invitations 


49 


“ Of course I may go, father,” said Felicia ; “ you’d 
love to have me, wouldn’t you, for you’re going to 
Green Corners that day, you said.” 

“ It seems a good time to accommodate your friend,” 
and the minister’s face was as grave as a judge’s in 
spite of Felicia’s mischievous look. 

The next letter to be opened was from Mrs. Topham 
— the very letter that her husband had posted that 
afternoon as they started for Green Corners. 

“Dear little Girl,” wrote Felicia’s first Black- 
berry Hill friend, “I want you to come home from 
church with me to-morrow, you and your father and 
Martin, and stay over night and spend all day Monday. 
The men folks have got it all settled betwixt them, so 
I know you’ll come. Mrs. Desmazes has a new kind of 
muffins you’ll like to see her make, and Bobby has laid 
great plans for bringing Jenkins and Martin together, 
and I have a few things I want to show you, up garret. 
We can drive ’round for you after church, and you 
must wrap Martin up warm. 

“ With love, 

“Myra Topham.” 

Felicia’s cheeks grew pinker and pinker as she read 
one letter after another. There were invitations from 
Mrs. Harlow, the Markhams, and Mrs. Cope, and when 
they were all finished, Mr. Lane took still another letter 
from his pocket. 

“ This is from Mr. Ledyard, Felicia,” he said ; “ he is 
coming up to see us, two weeks from last night, to 


5 ° 


Felicia Visits 


spend Saturday and Sunday, and he asks if you will 
eopy your recipe for rye-drop cakes, and send it to 
him within a day or two ; he wishes very much to give 
it to a friend of his. The rest of the letter is about a 
private matter,” he said, as he folded the sheet and put 
it in his pocket. 

Felicia knew her father had many “ private matters ” 
to talk over with grown people, which did not concern 
her in the least, and in which she felt no interest. She 
had quite enough to think about without them. 

“ I’ll copy it the first thing after breakfast Tuesday 
morning,” she said, “ in my very best writing, father, 
and then you must see if it will do. And I think, 
father, there never was anybody in this world who had 
so many lovely invitations together, and no two for the 
same day ! You know Mrs. Topham often says 4 visit- 
ings will clash,’ but these of mine don’t clash one single 
bit, and I know why — it’s because everybody came to 
you first, Father Lane, and you planned them all ! ” 

And with a sudden twist in her chair Felicia gave 
her father such a reward that the minister, though 
gratified, was nearly smothered. 


CHAPTER V 


THE FIRST VISIT 

When Felicia started for church the next morning 
she left a big gray shawl, a piece of an old blanket, 
and a newspaper on the kitchen table beside her father’s 
bag and her own. She gave a word of explanation to 
Martin, who looked inquiringly down from the shelf at 
these preparations. 

“ The newspaper and the blanket are for you, Martin,” 
said Felicia, “ so you won’t catch cold, and oh, how I 
do hope you’ll behave well on the very first visit you’ve 
ever made ! ” 

Martin chuckled and stood on one leg for a moment, 
waving the other, and ruffling his plumage. One eye 
was almost closed, but the other had a singularly alert 
expression. 

“You know you’re all I have to show off,” said 
Felicia, as she put the key in the outside of the kitchen 
door ; “ other people have horses or dogs or cats, but I 
have just you, and as Mrs. Cope says, I hope I may 
rely on you to do your best. I am going out this way, 
because when church is over I shall have to hurry home 
to wrap you up, and then run over to Mrs. Cope with 
the key. Now you be a good bird, and think over 
what I’ve told you.” 


51 


Felicia Visits 


52 

Martin had a longer time than usual for his Sunday- 
morning reflections, for after church Felicia had to 
stop to thank her different friends for their invitations, 
and accept them. 

“ I should write a note,” she said to each one, “ but 
father and Martin and I are going right off now to 
Topham Farm to stay till Monday after supper ; so will 
you please excuse me, and I’ll be delighted to go to 
your house.” 

As she hurried home beside her father she saw Mrs. 
Cope standing at the parsonage gate. 

“ Oh, father, you go in the front door, won’t you ? ” 
she whispered. “ Don’t you suppose Mrs. Cope would 
think it wasn’t fitting for a minister to go in the kitchen 
door from church on Sunday ? ” 

“The key is on the inside of the door,” said her 
father, with amusement in his eyes, but with grave 
lips — “ you locked it after me this morning ; don’t you 
remember ? I think I can explain the matter to Mrs. 
Cope so that she will not be shocked.” 

He evidently succeeded, for there was no reproof or 
criticism in Mrs. Cope’s smile when she appeared at 
the kitchen door with Mr. Lane a moment later. Felicia 
was pinning the newspaper over Martin’s cage while 
the parrot kept up a running fire of remonstrance and 
indignation. 

“ What’s all this ? ” he screamed, as he was gradually 
shrouded from the light of day. “ Martin is a gentle- 
man ! What’s all this ? ” 


The First Visit 


53 


“ He hasn’t made such a rumpus as this for weeks 
and months,” said Mrs. Cope. “ I’m thankful the folks 
have all passed along from church,” she added in rather 
a severe tone. 

“ Oh, so am I,” said Felicia, as Martin, enraged at 
her proceedings, screamed “ Help ! Help ! ” and then 
subsided into mutterings, interspersed with occasional 
hoarse coughs. “ But I don’t know as any of us would 
like it very well.” 

Mrs. Cope took one end of the blanket and helped 
Felicia wrap it around the cage, securing it in several 
places by stout pins. Martin stuck one claw out and 
ripped away a piece of the paper as a final protest, but 
the blanket was too much for even his bold spirit, and 
he rapidly drew in his claw, and made no further trouble. 

“ I presume to say I should be mad as a hornet,” 
Mrs. Cope admitted frankly. “ He does real well for 
such a free-spoken bird, I consider. When you come 
home I’ll give you an extra lump of sugar,” she said 
into an opening of the shawl, but there was no stir in 
the cage in response to her words. 

When Felicia was beside Mrs. Topham in the sleigh, 
with Martin’s cage clasped by her two little hands in 
their warm mittens, she looked up at her kind friend 
and laughed. 

“ It’s like the first time we were ever together, isn’t 
it ? ” she asked ; “ only now we’re old friends instead of 
new ones, and that’s better.” 

“ ’Tis so,” assented Mrs. Topham. “Of course, 


54 


Felicia Visits 


Felicia, I might as well own up that I haven’t any 
special call to think Martin counts me a friend, though 
I feel real friendly toward him. But whether ’tis my 
spectacles he isn’t partial to, or what, I can’t make out. 
I thought maybe we could find out, and if ’tis just a 
notion on his part, without any real reason, maybe he’ll 
overcome it, visiting right in the family.” 

“ If you’d give him a piece of bread with a little 
molasses on it,” said Felicia, “ and then tell him he’s 
handsome, Mrs. Topham, he — of course it isn’t what 
father calls 6 a very high plane ’ — but he would be sure 
to like you after that. Of course he’s only a bird.” 

“ Sho ! ” laughed Mrs. Topham ; “ there are plenty of 
folks that have to be treated just about that way; 
there’s more than one kind of molasses, you know, 
Felicia. I wish I’d known before; but I’ve always 
held off a little, fearing he might take a regular dislike 
to me if I was too free with him. I’ll see to his case 
before dinner.” 

Felicia’s suggestion worked to a charm. Martin’s 
thanks were so profuse and loudly spoken, and lasted 
so long, that when the family were seated at the din- 
ner table his voice was still heard from the adjoining 
room, where he had been placed out of harm’s way, his 
cage suspended from a brass hook in the ceiling. 

“ I had a canary once upon a time,” Mrs. Topham 
said as she hung the cage, “ but there ! he wasn’t any 
great satisfaction. He was moulting a good deal of 
the time, and then he never seemed to me to be a 


The First Visit 


SS 


h a ppy-disp°siti° ne d bird ; he could sing, but he’d rather 
screech on one note, any time. I used to reason with 
him, but ’twasn’t any use. And when Scrattle — when 
we lost the bird from his being scared to death, while 
I felt distressed to have him die, I didn’t know but he 
was better off, for he never seemed to enjoy life.” 

“ Scrattle isn’t in the room with Martin, is he ? ” 
asked Felicia, in some anxiety. 

“No, he isn’t, dear child,” said Mrs. Topham, “and 
he won’t be. I introduced them to each other while 
Mrs. Desmazes was telling you the last news from 
Carina, and before that cat of mine had a chance to 
give one good look at Martin, he screamed ‘ S-cat ! 
s cat ! ’ and fluffed up his feathers, and Scrattle 
was gone before you could say Jack Bobinson ! Be- 
tween Jenkins outdoors and Martin in the house, I 
don’t believe his tail will get back to its natural size 
before to-morrow night.” 

When dinner was over and the minister had gone 
for a walk to the Tophams’ nearest neighbor, persuad- 
ing Mr. Topham to accompany him, when Bobby was 
up in his own. room reading, and the Desmazes family 
were sitting over the kitchen fire, Mrs. Topham and 
Felicia drew two rocking-chairs up to the hearth, and 
prepared for a long talk. Felicia had many things to 
tell, and a good deal of advice was needed to solve 
some of her small problems. Then they talked of the 
time when Felicia’s mother could come from far-off 
Colorado to Blackberry Hill. 


Felicia Visits 


56 

“Maybe she’ll come this very next June,” said 
Felicia, “ but the doctor may want her to stay there a 
little longer ; she doesn’t cough one bit now. And 
Aunt Mary has promised to bring Johnny up here for 
a visit in May, and then if mother does come home the 
next month, Johnny will be here for good by the end 
of the summer. I don’t know what grandmother and 
Aunt Mary will do without him, but it does seem as if 
I ought to hear my little brother learn to talk, doesn’t 
it, Mrs. Topham ? When Mrs. Cope feels down-hearted 
she says our family are losing a precious opportunity 
that will never return, while strangers are reaping the 
harvest ; but Aunt Mary and grandmother aren’t 
strangers, and Johnny loves them.” 

The two friends laughed together, and then Mrs. 
Topham’s kind face grew sober. 

“ Sometimes I wish Lyddy Cope could hear Mr. and 
Mrs. Desmazes talk,” she said. “They’ve both of 
them known hunger and real poverty and sorrow in 
plenty, but they’ve kept up their courage through it 
all. Mr. Lotti, Carina’s father, wasn’t a good man, 
and he didn’t treat his wife nor child right. Then the 
mother gave Carina up, almost, to her uncle ; she’s 
lived with him and he’s educated her since she was a 
little tot. The mother’d go weeks and months without 
seeing her, sometimes, roving over the country wher- 
ever her husband chose, and being neglected and often 
beaten — think of that ! ” 

“ Oh, no, Mrs. Topham ! ” cried Felicia, 


The First Visit 


57 


“ Yes, she was,” said Mrs. Topham. “ He was down- 
right cruel to her ; but at last he died. Then she was 
sick for a long while, off in a little Italian town ; and 
Carina had come over to this country with her uncle. 
So her mother followed, steerage ; and when she got 
here, they had gone off from where she thought they 
were, and she couldn’t speak the language, and was 
kind of wandering around in Canady, with hardly a 
cent left, when she met Mr. Desmazes one day. 

“ He fell in love with her big, soft eyes and pretty 
ways, I guess,” said Mrs. Topham ; “ and he was so 
kind, trying to help her find her little girl, that — well, 
they took to each other, that’s all ; and pretty soon 
they got married. They have only a little mite of 
money between ’em, but they have each other, and 
that’s all they ask for, now Carina’s doing so well, and 
writes to her mother every week. Think of her play- 
ing before the President of these United States, Felicia, 
on that little fiddle of hers ! How did you feel when 
you read that in the paper ? ” 

“ I felt so proud to know her that I could hardly 
breathe for a minute,” said Felicia. She shut her eyes 
a moment to think again of that wonderful Christmas 
celebration a few weeks back ; how she and Winifred 
had invited the little girl who played the violin to big 
audiences ; and how the little girl came, and played in 
their “ toy symphony.” It had been a beautiful time, 
while it lasted. 

“ I keep every post-card and note Carina sends me,” 


Felicia Visits 


58 

she went on, “ and so does Winifred ; she says that in 
after life people may search us out and ask for particu- 
lars of our famous friend’s early days — I think her 
mother told her that, don’t you ? ” 

“ Very likely,” said Mrs. Topham, smiling to herself 
in the fast gathering dusk of the room. At last there 
was only the flickering fire to lighten it, and she sat with 
Felicia’s hand in hers, patting it softly, as they rocked 
to and fro, the two chairs keeping perfect time together. 

Soon there was the sound of stamping feet, and Mr. 
Topham and his guest came in. Then the lamps were 
lighted, and there was much cheerful talk until bed- 
time, which came early at Topham Farm. 

“ There’s so much to be done,” said Mrs. Topham, 
“ and we are all sleepy-heads in this family, unless we 
keep regular hours. Now, Felicia, I’ll go with you to 
your room, first, and get you all tucked up with a 
couple of good hot soapstones,” and she displayed two, 
selected from a large assortment in the kitchen. 

She led the way to a small bedroom which was over 
the kitchen, at one corner of the house, and which 
looked out on the orchard and the neat row of hen- 
houses, all with their backs to the apple-trees, facing 
the big yard. The ground-floor rooms of the old farm- 
house had low ceilings, so that Felicia’s head, as she 
peeped out of the window, seemed about on a level 
with the tree-tops. 

“ This was the room I liked best to sleep in the first 
summer I spent at Topham Farm,” said Mrs. Topham, 


The First Visit 


59 


“ and I’ve always loved it on account of something I 
saw out of the window the first night when I waked 
up, feeling sort of lonesome and strange. I waked Mr. 
Topham up and made him look, too. ’Tisn’t a sight 
you could see this visit, but some time you may, so I 
shan’t tell you what it was. Do you think Martin 
will enjoy the night better if left where he is, in the 
dining-room, with the door open into the kitchen, or 
would he rather be with you ? ” 

“ I think we won’t ask him,” whispered Felicia, as if 
Martin might overhear, “ as long as he seems to be 
asleep.” 

When she was safely tucked in, with the two hot 
soapstones in flannel bags for company, and a good- 
night kiss from Mrs. Topham, Felicia tried to stay 
awake long enough to think over some of her plans, 
but in less than five minutes she was sound asleep. It 
was dark when she woke, suddenly, and after a mo- 
ment heard the old clock strike two. 

At first she could not remember where she was, and 
then she wondered what had wakened her. 

“ I think I never heard a clock strike two — night two 
— before,” thought Felicia. “There! What is that 
noise ? Why, it’s the hens waking up ! ” 

She sprang out of bed, and wrapping herself in a 
blanket, ran to the window. For a moment she could 
see nothing — but she heard the stir from the hen- 
houses, as if the careful mothers of the brood were dis- 
turbed by something. 


60 Felicia Visits 

She looked at a shadow lying close to one of the 
hen-houses . 

“ Why, there’s no moon to make a shadow,” said 
Felicia, “ and it’s moving ! I believe it’s — yes , it is a 
fox ! I can see him, looking just like the pictures of 
him, only I couldn’t tell his color. How pretty he is ! ” 

For a minute Felicia stood admiring him, then it 
came to her for what Keynard was probably there. 
She opened the window as softly as possible, but at the 
first sound the shadowy fox raised his head and stood 
listening. 

“ Shoo ! ” cried Felicia, leaning way out the window. 
“ Shoo ! but oh ! I’m sorry to have you go ! ” 

The fox vanished as if by magic with the first word. 
It did not need the clapping of Felicia’s hands to send 
him off. She closed the window, and jumped into bed 
again, shivering a little and glad to feel the warm soap- 
stones at her feet. 

“ That was a pretty sight,” said Felicia, as sleep over- 
took her again, “ but I’m quite sure that was not at all 
like the one Mrs. Topham saw. It is sad that such a 
dear little animal should eat chickens — but then we eat 
them. I don’t — see — why — a fox — is — so — very — 
bad,” yawned Felicia, “ and ” 


CHAPTER VI 

SECRETS AT TOPHAMS’ FARM 

Next morning at the breakfast table Felicia told her 
story, and Bobby nodded. 

“ I saw his tracks close to the hen-houses,” said Bobby. 
“ I’m glad you scared him off, Felicia, the little thief ! ” 

“ That’s what I was trying to straighten out in my 
mind when I fell asleep,” said Felicia ; “ probably he 
likes chickens as well as we do, and of course he has to 
get all his own meals — nobody gives him anything. It 
seems to me his is a pretty sad case — but I was glad for 
the mother hens when I frightened him away. I know 
they must have been thankful to me in their hearts — at 
least, I mean thankful to the person who saved their 
chickens.” 

“You eat your muffins, dear child, and see if there 
isn’t a good taste to them,” said Mrs. Topham. “ I 
couldn’t bear to wake you in time to see how Mrs. Des- 
mazes makes them ; some other day will do as well, and 
you were having such a good sleep.” 

“All my sleeps are good,” laughed Felicia; then 
she ate a muffin and praised it so highly that the Italian 
woman’s dark face glowed with pleasure, and she 
thanked the little girl in her broken English. 

61 


62 


Felicia Visits 


“ Felicia’s a good judge as anybody need want, my 
wife says,” remarked Mr. Topham. “She considers 
that Felicia is fully as well fitted to write a cook-book 
as most of these folks that have got into print with 
cloth covers.” 

“ Come, come,” said Mr. Lane. “ I can’t have my little 
girl’s head turned ; she will be wanting to spend her 
time with pen and ink instead of making delectable 
dishes for me, if you say much more.” 

They all laughed, but after breakfast Felicia told 
Mrs. Topham about the letter from Mr. Ledyard, in 
which he had asked for the rye-drop cake recipe. 

“ Why not sit right down at Mr. Topham’s and my 
desk, and write it off, while Mrs. Desmazes and I do up 
the dishes ? ” suggested Mrs. Topham. “ You’ll be busier 
to-morrow, and nobody’ll disturb you there in the sit- 
ting-room, and there’s plenty of paper — ’twouldn’t mat- 
ter if you used up half a dozen sheets getting a copy 
that just suited you.” 

It was nearly an hour later when Mrs. Topham, put- 
ting her head in at the sitting-room door, was joyfully 
greeted by Felicia. 

“ It’s just done,” she said, “ and I do think it looks al- 
most handsome — for me. You look at it, please, Mrs. 
Topham.” 

“That’s good as printing,” said Mrs. Topham, when 
she had scrutinized the paper closely, and read the recipe 
through twice. “If they find any fault with that 
I don’t know what they would like. You ready to 


Secrets at Tophams' Farm 63 

come up garret with me now ? Bobby’ll want you after 
a while.” 

They mounted with great care the stairs that led up 
to the garret, as any hasty movement was likely to dis- 
lodge one of the bags which hung at each side, suspended 
by long strings from nails in the little railing at the head 
of the stairs. One of them, jostled by Mrs. Topham, 
swayed out so that Felicia, close behind, could read 
what was printed on a slip of paper pinned on the bag. 
“ James Topham — Odds and Ends.” 

“ I leave all these bags just to humor him,” laughed 
Mrs. Topham, as she dodged the “ Odds and Ends.” 
“ I don’t pretend to know what’s in any of them, but 
they have a value to my James, and he wants ’em where 
he can lay hands on ’em at any minute. Look at what 
he’s put on this one,” and she held another bag toward 
Felicia, as they reached the last stair. 

“ 4 J ames Topham — Plans,’ ” read F elicia. “ What kind 
of plans do you think they are ? ” 

“ I have a notion they may be inventive plans,” said 
Mrs. Topham, lowering her voice. “ There was a time 
when he was for improving every single thing in this 
house and on the place, from the coffee-pot to the mow- 
ing machine. I endured it as well as I could. When 
the coffee wouldn’t come out of the spout at all on ac- 
count of his new strainer, and when there wasn’t a knife 
in the house that would cut anything, owing to his 
sharpening board, I just counted all the way from fifty 
to five hundred, and kep’ in what I’d like to have said 


Felicia Visits 


64 

till he got out o’ the way. But at last he came to a re- 
alizing sense that his inventions cost considerable more 
than they come to, and he gave up working them out — 
but he figures a good deal evenings, and I have my sus- 
picions that he writes them out, his inventions, and gets 
his fun that way. Hear how it rattles.” 

“ It’s all paper,” said Felicia, as she felt the bag. “ I 
wish Mr. Topham would show me some of his plans.” 

“ All you need is to speak the word,” said Mrs. Top- 
ham ; “ he’d be only too pleased to accommodate you. 
There, you take that little rocking-chair, and I’ll take 
this big one, and we’ll spread the things out on this old 
table. It’s my mother’s dress-up trunk I’m going to 
open. How, what do you think of that, and that ? ” 
and she took from the tray of the old horsehair trunk 
a long gown of silk, bouquets of roses on a pale blue 
ground, and a pale gold colored petticoat with little 
flecks of blue over its surface. “ Mother wore that at 
a grand party once.” 

Felicia smoothed the silk and exclaimed over it with 
delight. Treasure after treasure came out of the old 
trunk — enough gowns for a dozen gay ladies of a 
mimic pageant, beside many embroidered waistcoats, 
knee-breeches, silk-trimmed coats and buckles of silver- 
gilt. 

“When my children were young, and there were 
little folks on three of the near-by farms, we used to 
have good sport up here, come a rainy day,” said Mrs. 
Topham. “ I’d open the garret windows and ring that 


Secrets at Tophams' Farm 6 5 

old bell over there on the chest o’ drawers, first one 
side the house, then the other. The children all knew 
what it meant, and inside of half an hour I’d have all 
the way from ten to fifteen of ’em here, according to 
whether measles or whooping-cough were going the 
rounds.” 

“ And you let them dress up,” said Felicia ; “ I know 
you helped them play, Mrs. Topham.” 

“ Well, yes,” said her friend, “ I had to hook them 
into the clothes, most of them. Then I’d help them 
pick out good high-sounding names, to play they be- 
longed to them, and then I’d go off down-stairs and 
leave them ; and come five o’clock I’d fetch up a 
pitcher of lemonade and some cookies, and they’d set 
out this table with the old pewter plates and mugs, 
and have their feast. And when they went off home 
they’d had a good time, and so had I, and their mothers 

had got a little breathing space, too. We Felicia, 

what’s that noise ? ” 

“It’s Martin,” cried Felicia. “What do you sup- 
pose is the matter ? ” 

She was already half-way down the stairs, and Mrs. 
Topham hurried after her, the long bags hitting her, 
all unheeded. Martin had been left in the dining- 
room in a sunny window, apparently content, a few mo- 
ments before. Scrattle had been shut into the 
kitchen. 

“ Help ! Help ! ” screamed Martin, but Felicia thought 
his voice sounded more angry than frightened, and as 


66 


Felicia Visits 


she flew down the second flight of stairs and ran into 
the dining-room, the parrot gave a hoarse chuckle, and 
changed his words. 

“ Beautiful ! ” he cried mockingly. “ Beautiful ! 
How d’y’ do ? The best of luck ! ” 

“Oh, Martin Lane!” gasped Felicia, as she ran to 
his cage. “ Oh, Jenkins Topham ! How did you ever 
do that ? ” 

Jenkins had broken loose, as he often managed to 
do, and circling the house, had caught sight of Martin’s 
brilliant figure. He stopped, and the parrot immedi- 
ately began to chuckle and ruffle his feathers. Bound 
to investigate further, the goat had butted through the 
pane of glass, but owing to his faulty calculation as to 
space, his horns became tightly wedged in the window 
frame when he turned his head, and he was an infuri- 
ated captive. 

“Well, I guess Bobby couldn’t have planned any 
better way to introduce them,” said Mrs. Topham, 
laughing till she put her hand to her side. “ I’ll step 
out to the shed and ask him in ; he can talk to Jenkins 
a minute or two whilst he’s hitching him. I believe it 
will take down his pride considerable to be caught with 
his head indoors.” 

“ The best of luck ! ” said Martin when Bobby, hav- 
ing talked to the goat as long as he thought best, re- 
moved him by steady jerks from the window into the 
yard. “ Good-bye, good-bye ! ” 

“ Martin, don’t you be too proud,” cautioned Felicia. 


Secrets at Top ham s' Farm 67 

“ Yon are naughty, sometimes — still I do think you are 
a pretty good bird.” 

“ Martin is a gentleman,” said the parrot in his most 
cheerful tone. 

Half an hour later when Bobby was showing Felicia 
a little toy engine he had made with the help of Mr. 
Desmazes, which could be run by kerosene, Felicia 
spoke of something that had been in her mind for a 
good while. Bobby had told her of a book lent him 
by Mr. Gregg, which he had read, and had made as 
clear as he could to the Frenchman. 

“ Mr. Gregg has more fine books than all the rest of 
the folks in this town put together and doubled,” said 
Bobby. “I wish the rest of the boys — I wish he’d 
lend them to others beside me. I’m not the only care- 
ful boy in Blackberry Hill.” 

“Bobby,” said Felicia, “I’ve been thinking about 
something for a long time, but I haven’t said one 
word, even to Winifred, because I don’t know as we 
could — but oh, Bobby, don’t you think we could have 
a library here, some time, if we could raise money ? 
Other places, as little as Blackberry Hill, have them. 
Don’t you believe Mr. Gregg would help, and Mr. Led- 
yard, and Mrs. Cope ? And couldn’t we have some 
kind of an entertainment, and charge ten cents admis- 
sion ? And couldn’t we ” 

“ Hold on,” said Bobby ; “ you’re going pretty fast 
for me. But — I don’t see why we couldn’t try, at any 
rate.” 


68 


Felicia Visits 


“ And we’ll talk it over when we are at Mr. Gregg’s 
on Friday,” said Felicia, as if all doubts were cleared 
away. “ Father ’ll come for me toward night. I’ll 
tell him on the way home to-night, and then I’ll write 
■Winifred to-morrow, so as not to leave her out. And 
I’ll write Mrs. Topham, too, for I owe her a letter for 
my lovely invitation. And then we’ll tell everybody, 
gradually, Bobby. I’m so glad you think we can do 
it. Now please make the engine go again, for there’s 
so much for me to do and see before it’s time to go 
home. Perhaps we’d better speak about the library 
at dinner, after all, Bobby ; what do you think ? ” 

“ I think you won’t be able to keep it in any longer 
than that,” said Bobby, looking at Felicia’s wide eyes 
and pink cheeks. “ Mr. Topham says it’s safer to let 
women folks out with anything they’ve got to tell, be- 
fore they work themselves into a fever trying to keep 
it back — but I’ve heard Mrs. Topham say the same 
thing about men folks,” added truthful Bobby. 


CHAPTEK VII 


THE COMING OF PEDRO 

All the way home, in the starlight, with Martin 
closely held and warmly wrapped beside her, Felicia 
chattered about her plans for the library to her father 
and Bobby, on the front seat of the old sleigh. 

“ I’ve thought of two or three ways to earn some 
money,” she said after a short silence ; “ I won’t tell 
you about it now, because I haven’t quite thought 
them out in my mind ; probably it will take me two or 
three days to know just what I want to say. At times 
like this I do miss Winifred dreadfully. She’s so 
quick ! ” 

“But she keeps changing her mind,” said Bobby, 
over his shoulder. “She changes it half a dozen 
times while you’re making yours up once.” 

“ That shows how slow I am,” laughed Felicia. 

“ I didn’t mean that,” said Bobby, indignantly, but 
Felicia only laughed again. 

“ Never mind, it’s true,” she said. “ But I’ll forgive 
you, Bobby, if you’ll promise to come for me real early 
on Friday.” 

“I’ll be at the parsonage by nine o’clock,” said 
Bobby. “Mr. Topham says I may have a holiday 
soon as I’ve attended to one or two things.” 

69 


7 ° 


Felicia Visits 


“How splendid ! I will be all ready,” said Felicia. 
“ Oh, father, I wish you were going too, for all day ! ” 

“I mustn’t play too much, you know, Felicia,” said 
Mr. Lane. 

“ Or else Mrs. Cope will begin to talk about old Dr. 
Jarvis again,” said Bobby soberly, and then they all 
laughed together. 

The sleigh went past the parsonage and along to the 
post-office where Mr. Lane’s letter to Mr. Ledyard, con- 
taining Felicia’s receipt, was posted by Bobby, and the 
Tophams’ and Lanes’ mail for the day was delivered 
to him. Then back to the parsonage, and good-nights 
were said, after which Bobby went whistling and jin- 
gling down the road. 

“ Haven’t we had a good visit, Martin ? ” said Felicia 
as she unwound the wrappings from the parrot’s cage. 
“ And you’ve behaved so well that I shouldn’t ever be 
afraid again to take you visiting. Of course you 
screamed at Scrattle and Jenkins, but I consider you 
were very excusable, as you aren’t used to cats or goats.” 

“Martin is a gentleman,” said the parrot indiffer- 
ently. “ Good-day ! ” 

“ I presume you are real sleepy,” said Felicia, as she 
bore the cage to Martin’s parlor. “ As Mrs. Cope says, 
you lead a very quiet life, and excitement upsets you 
just as it does her — or did ; she is getting so used to 
noise and disturbance since our Christmas party, she 
says she’s beginning to like it. Sometimes I think you 
ought to have a playmate, Martin ; I mean perhaps I 


The Coming of Pedro 71 

ought to have a kitten or another bird, or a rabbit, for 
company for you when I’m out.” 

It is impossible to say how much of this Martin 
understood; but at least the earnestness of Felicia’s 
tone served to make him uneasy. 

“ What’s all this ? ” he cried, flattening his head 
against the bars, and snapping his beak impatiently. 
“ What is all this ? How d’y’ do, how d’y’ do, how 
d’y’ do ? ” 

“ Oh, hush, Martin,” said Felicia, as she put her finger 
through the bars and stroked his head. “ How you 
go to sleep, like a good bird. Good-night,” and throw- 
ing the cover lightly over his cage, she left Martin to 
his thoughts, and shut the door. 

As she and her father were talking over the visit 
before going up-stairs, there was the sound of an au- 
tomobile horn, a flash of brilliant light, the rush of a 
machine over the hard snow and another honk of the 
horn in the distance. 

“ Overspeeding through this little sleepy place,” 
said Mr. Lane. “ That’s the only automobile I’ve ever 
heard here, beside Mr. Ledyard’s. I’m glad they are 
not likely to have come by way of any of the farm 
roads where the horses might be jogging slowly home 
from the post-office.” 

“I wonder who the people were,” said Felicia, 
thoughtfully. “ Isn’t it strange, father, to think of all 
the different people rushing over the world to places 
where we’ve never been ? ” 


72 


Felicia Visits 


She stood for a moment with her candle in her hand, 
ready to go up-stairs.' 

“ Coming home is best of all, I think,” she said, as 
she gave a last look around the kitchen. “ Hark ! 
father, did that sound like a dog’s whine to you ? But 
there isn’t any dog in town except Max, the Mark- 
hams’ old hound, and he never goes out of the door- 
yard now.” 

They listened, and the sound came again. It was 
unmistakable — a low, half-frightened but persistent 
little yelp, and with it now came a faint scratching 
sound. 

“ It’s at the front door,” said Mr. Lane. “We’ll 
take a lamp, Felicia, and see what is the matter.” 

He held the lamp while Felicia unlocked the door, 
and stooped with a sudden inarticulate sound to pick 
up something from the door-step. Before she had 
gathered it in her arms, the minister saw what it was 
— a little, shivering cocker spaniel, holding up one paw, 
and looking at her with a world of pleading in his 
brown eyes. 

“You darling!” said Felicia softly. “You dear 
little hurt dog, you come right with Felicia into the 
warm house, and she’ll see what’s the matter with your 
poor little foot ! Father, isn’t he a darling?” 

“ He certainly is a beautiful little creature,” said 
Mr. Lane, when the party had arrived at the kitchen, 
and Felicia had set the dog gently on the table, still 
keeping her arms around him. “ He must have fallen, 


73 


The Coming of Pedro 

unnoticed, from that automobile. I cannot understand 
such carelessness,” and the minister’s face wore a stern 
look which was most unusual since he had lived in 
Blackberry Hill ; Felicia had seen it often in the city, 
when her father had heard some story of neglect of 
children or cruelty to animals. 

“Perhaps they had him wrapped up all warm, 
father,” she said, “ and he fell asleep, and rolled a 
little at a time, and finally just slipped out ; and they 
were going so fast they wouldn’t have heard him cry. 
See how silky his coat is, father ; they must have taken 
good care of him ; and his silver collar has 8037 on it, 
so he was numbered.” 

“ That is the number of his license,” said Mr. 
Lane; “undoubtedly he is a city dog. "We must 
advertise him to-morrow.” 

“ Yes, I suppose we must,” said Felicia. “ How, dear, 
will you let me bathe your little hurt paw in warm 
water, and do it up in an old handkerchief with arnica 
on it ? ” 

The spaniel put out his tongue and touched Felicia’s 
hand with the tip of it ; then he buried his cold nose 
in the curve of her palm. 

“ I think he will let me,” said the little girl ; “ will 
you please comfort him while I get the things, father, 
so he won’t be lonesome ? ” 

It was evident that the injured paw was only 
strained ; there were no broken bones, Mr. Lane as- 
sured Felicia, after a cautious handling of the little 


74 


Felicia Visits 


black leg. When it was bandaged, and the spaniel 
seemed content, the question as to where he would 
spend the night was quickly settled. 

“ Please let me have him at the foot of my bed, 
father,” begged Felicia. “ Then if he wakes up in the 
night perhaps he’ll forget, and think he is in the auto- 
mobile, all wrapped up.” 

“Very well,” said Mr. Lane. “I think on the 
whole that will be a good place for him.” 

The blanket that had covered Martin’s cage on his 
journey to and from Topham Farm served for a nest of 
warmth in which Felicia laid the dog, and from which 
he looked gratefully up at her. When she had put out 
her light, and pulled her shades high, to see the stars, 
she bent over the foot of the bed. 

“ Probably I shan’t have you but two or three days,” 
she whispered to the spaniel, “ but as long as I keep 
you I shall love you, and forever after, you dear little 
8037 ! And while you’re mine, I shall call you Pedro. 
I hope you’ll like that for a name.” 

The little cold nose rubbed her hand again. 

“ I’m sure you will,” said Felicia, as she crawled into 
bed carefully, not to disturb the nest at its foot, “ for 
I can see you have a very sweet disposition. Oh, how I 
wish you were going to stay ! Good-night, Pedro.” 

There was no stir at the foot of the bed ; but later, 
when Felicia was sound asleep, a little black object un- 
curled itself from a blanket, and wriggled cautiously 
up to the pillows ; then there was a slow burrowing 


The Coming of Pedro 75 

under the loosened sheet, and a moment later a small 
mound raised the bedclothes at Felicia’s back. 

“ There,” thought 803 Y, who had so lately become 
Pedro, as he settled himself close to his new friend, 
“ now all is just as I’d like to have it.” 


CHAPTER YIII 


THE NEW MEMBER OF THE FAMILY 

Felicia woke the next morning with the remem- 
brance that something pleasant had happened ; in a mo- 
ment she knew what it was, and raising her head from 
its soft hollow, she looked eagerly down the bed. 

“ He’s gone ! ” she said, catching her breath. “ Oh, 
where do ” 

She got no farther, for she was suddenly conscious of 
a warm little body close to her own, and turning down 
the bedclothes she discovered the spaniel, who had just 
wakened. 

“ Why, Pedro ! however in the world did you get in 
here ?” asked Felicia. “ Oh, you look handsomer than 
ever ! If you were truly my dog I should be so proud 
of you.” 

Pedro wriggled out from his wrappings and stood 
with his feet firmly planted on Felicia’s chest, his tail 
wagging rapidly. Then he held out the bandaged paw 
for the little girl’s examination. 

“You are a very good patient,” said Felicia, when 
she had looked at the paw, and bound it up again with 
more arnica. “I don’t really believe you need the 
bandage to-day, but we’ll be on the safe side, as Mrs. 

76 


The New Member of the Family 77 

Cope says. Now you must get off the bed, Pedro, so I 
can air it. You sit in this old rocking-chair. There, 
isn’t that comfortable ? ” 

Pedro could not reply as Martin did, nor could he 
purr, like the Tophams’ Scrattle, but if brown eyes, 
and the beating of a wavy silken tail against the edge 
of the rocking-chair could prove his satisfaction, Pedro 
showed it plainly. 

“I think perhaps I’d better carry you down-stairs 
this morning, on account of your foot,” said Felicia 
when she was dressed, “ for the stairs are a little slip- 
pery. I’ll introduce you to Martin, and you and he 
can be getting acquainted while I am starting the 
breakfast.” 

She gathered Pedro in her arms and carried him 
down to the kitchen; then she went into Martin’s 
parlor, uncovered his cage, and took it to the kitchen 
table. Pedro was close at her heels, wagging his tail 
and watching her proceedings with keen interest. 
When Felicia had set the cage on the table, she lifted 
Pedro, and held him quite close to the cage. 

“ This is Pedro,” said Felicia to Martin, “ and he 
will only be here just a little while, like a visitor, I’m 
afraid. He came unexpectedly last night ; I hope you 
will be very polite to him, Martin, and entertain him 
when I am busy. Please don’t bark, Pedro, for that 
would frighten Martin, or else provoke him, and I 
want you to be friends, if it’s only for a little while. 
Mr. Gregg read to me out of a beautiful book, and it 


Felicia Visits 


78 

said, ‘ I shall not pass this way again,’ and that is 
probably true about you, and it means we should be 
just as kind to people as ever we can, for fear we may 
never have as good a chance again.” 

There was a pause; Felicia looked anxiously from 
Martin to Pedro, her hand resting on the spaniel’s 
back. Martin pressed close to his bars and looked at 
Pedro with a steady gaze which the spaniel returned. 
Suddenly there was a soft, slapping sound on the table ; 
Pedro had begun again to wag his tail. Martin turned 
his head from side to side, stretched his neck, and then 
held a claw out between the bars. 

“ Good-morning,” he said cheerfully. “ How d’y’ do, 
how d’y’ do ? ” 

“ I’ll shake hands with him for you, Pedro,” said 
Felicia. “ He thinks you are very polite, but he has a 
hurt paw,” she told Martin, who accepted her finger in 
lieu of a salutation from his new acquaintance. “How 
I’ll set your cage on the shelf where you like to have 
it, Martin, and you may sit right in that wooden chair, 
Pedro, while I get breakfast.” 

It was not long before Felicia found out that Pedro 
preferred to be close to her rather than on the wooden 
chair. She was accustomed to move quickly about the 
kitchen, and several times she almost tripped over the 
spaniel who was sure to be where she least expected 
him. Once she trod on his tail, and was full of re- 
morse when he gave a little yelp of pain. Breakfast 
was almost ready when the kitchen door received a 



THERE WAS A PAUSE 



The New Member of the Family 79 

brisk knock, and when it was unlocked, in stepped Miss 
Parks, a large box under her arm. 

“ I thought I’d come early,” she said, unwinding the 
comforter from her head, “ so we could get the work 
done up, and you and I could have a visit together this 
afternoon. I planned out that this extra hour I could 
— for the land’s sake, where did you get that ? ” asked 
Miss Loreena, breaking off as she spied Pedro, just 
emerging from retirement behind Felicia. 

The little girl told her the spaniel’s story as far as 
she knew it. 

“ I’m afraid I shall grow so fond of him it will be 
hard to let him go, Miss Loreena,” said Felicia. “ I 
think perhaps he’d better stay right here in the kitchen, 
if you’re willing, so we can see him all the time.” 

Miss Loreena bent over, and snapped her fingers in- 
vitingly at Pedro. 

“You come here to me, little doggy,” she said, and 
when he had come close she took his long soft ears in 
her hands and rubbed them back and forth against his 
head. “ He likes that, you see,” she said, looking up at 
Felicia. “ And he knows I like him ; you can’t deceive 
dogs. You know I had one years ago, perhaps you 
never heard. I mourned for him like a relation when 
it came his time to go. That’s right, doggy, you smell 
of my skirt ; take some good sniffs, so you’ll know me 
next time. There, that’ll have to do for now, as I’ve 
got considerable stooping to do anyway, with my reg- 
ular work, to-day.” 


8o 


Felicia Visits 


Mr. Lane in his study that morning was conscious of 
a steady hum of voices in the kitchen ; it did not dis- 
turb him, but only made him smile. Once there was a 
sound of something huddling against the study door 
and a scratching on the panels, but it quickly ceased. 
Only once he opened the door into the big kitchen ; 
that was when there came a hoarse scream from the 
parrot, following the sound of a fall. 

“ JSTorloreena ! ” he screamed. “ ISTorloreena ! ” 

“ Is there any trouble out here ? ” asked the minister, 
smiling, as he put his head in the door. 

Miss Parks was shaking with laughter and had the 
spaniel in her arms. 

“ If ever I knew anything to equal Martin ! ” she ex- 
claimed as she saw the minister. “ This doggy keeps 
getting underfoot, tagging after Felicia, and just now I 
turned round, hasty, from the stove, and fell over him, 
bringing up against the table. I didn’t hurt me a 
mite, but ’tis a wonder I didn’t. This little fellow gave 
one yelp, and spite of the way I’ve catered to that par- 
rot for ’most a year, his sympathies are all with this 
stranger. He turned right on me, and screamed out 
what I thought he’d forgotten. I’m not 6 naughty Lo- 
reena.’ Martin Lane, can’t you tell an accident when 
you see it ? ” 

“Martin is a gentleman,” said the parrot sulkily. 
Then he held his claw out toward Pedro, and changed 
his tone. “ Good-morning, how d’y’ do, how d’y’ do ? ” 
he said, all amiability. 


The New Member of the Family 81 

Before noon Felicia pnt on her hat and coat and 
went to the post-office ; in her arms she carried Pedro 
— to give him the air she felt sure he needed ; in her 
pocket was an envelope directed to a city newspaper, 
and in the envelope was the advertisement, which she 
knew would tell the spaniel’s owner of his where- 
abouts. Before starting up the road she had carried 
him across the hard-trodden neighbor path to Mrs. 
Cope, to show him to her and Miss Shaw. 

“ He is a little beauty, Felicia,” the young teacher 
declared ; “ I only wish he might be yours to keep ; he 
would give you so much pleasure, and when we go for 
our walks he could run along with us, as soon as his 
paw is well ; but of course his real owners will want 
him. I miss dogs here in Blackberry Hill,” and she 
stroked the spaniel’s head gently. 

“ There used to be a dog to ’most every house,” said 
Mrs. Cope, “ but they got old like the folks that owned 
them, and died ; there are plenty off on the farms, but 
only the Markhams’ Max here in town, and he’s get- 
ting feeble, as you know. The Hilliards and French’s 
have set out to have one half a dozen times, but they 
kind of teased the farm dogs when they’d come into 
town, and nobody’d give them one. They wouldn’t 
hurt any animal really,” said Mrs. Cope with rare tol- 
erance ; “ it’s just their wild spirits, their mothers say. 
But, Felicia, don’t you think you’d have your hands too 
full with a dog to look after ? ” 

“ Oh, no,” said Felicia, laying her cheek down on 


82 


Felicia Visits 


Pedro’s silky head for a moment. “But there isn’t 
any chance of my having him, Mrs. Cope. Now I 
must go to the post-office and send off this advertise- 
ment father wrote. Good-bye,” and she ran out of the 
house, and up the hill toward the post-office. 

The postmaster came out from behind the boxes to 
admire Pedro and hear all about him, and Mr. Fosdick 
stepped through the door which connected the post-of- 
fice with his store, and listened attentively to the story, 
and stroked the spaniel’s tail with a cautious hand. 

“ Don’t look as if he’d bite, but ’tisn’t always the 
cow with the crookedest horns that hooks you,” he re- 
marked, and then relented when he saw Felicia’s re- 
proachful eyes, and moved his hand a considerable dis- 
tance up Pedro’s back. “ Nice little feller,” he said ap- 
provingly. “We should like to have you stay with us.” 

“ I reckon he belongs to one of those rich families 
that have bought places down below — what they call 
Rich Folks Park — though ’tisn’t any more of a park 
than Blackberry Hill,” said the postmaster. “I un- 
derstand they’ve bought land and put up houses to go 
to in the winter when they’re tired of the city ; they’ve 
put steam heating apparatuses, and all such in ’em, and 
keep three, four servants there, just so’s they can gather 
a party of friends and 4 run up ’ for what they call 
4 week ends ’ whenever they like. I read it all out of 
the paper. Sounds foolish beyond belief to me. Why 
can’t folks live where they do live ? ” 

44 That’s so,” admitted Mr. Fosdick ; 44 but they can’t 


The New Member of the Family 83 

seem to, nowadays ; have to keep running off some- 
where else ; any thing to keep going. And I suppose 
they’ve all got automobiles. Did the paper say ? ” 

‘‘Every one of ’em,” said the postmaster. “And 
they think nothing of steaming up after supper, I pre- 
sume likely, and scouring over the country ; we’re liable 
to have ’em any time now, for all I can see, being only 
a matter of twenty miles away — what’s that to those 
machines ? ’Tis nothing but child’s play,” and the post- 
master looked gloomily at Pedro. 

“ Did the paper say anything about dogs ? ” asked 
Felicia, holding Pedro a little closer. 

“ I don’t recall that it did,” said the postmaster ; “ but 
of course they’ve got every kind of animal there is 
going, most likely — such folks don’t stop at anything. 
Well, you’ll know pretty soon ; this advertisement will 
be in to-morrow’s paper, and you’ll be likely to hear 
next day ; they’ll be on the lookout.” 

“ What do you calculate such a dog is worth, Felicia ? ” 
asked Mr. Fosdick who walked down the road a few 
steps with her. “ I’ve got five dollars or so, lying idle, 
I should be pleased to put into a good investment pro- 
vided a young friend would look after it for me.” 

“ Oh, Mr. Fosdick,” said Felicia gratefully, “ you’re 
just as good as you can be, but father says Pedro is 
probably worth a great deal of money — father knows a 
good many things about dogs. Ho, I must just enjoy 
him every minute while he’s here, and then remember 
him afterward, as long as I live ! ” 


Felicia Visits 


84 

That afternoon the minister was away, and Felicia 
had two guests in the study — Miss Loreena and Pedro. 
Miss Parks unfolded the soft old silk handkerchief 
which covered the contents of her mysterious box, and 
brought out six packages each of which when opened 
disclosed a doll in a Mother Hubbard wrapper, and with 
each doll a costume complete, even to a tiny fan. 

“There,” said Miss Parks when the sixth package 
had been opened, u these are the dolls my Uncle Seth 
brought me from London, England, when I was a mite 
of a girl ; they’re the handsomest present I ever had, 
and they’ve been kept choice. They represent six na- 
tions o’ the earth, and when we dress ’em you’ll see how 
complete they are — and there are remarks about each 
one on this piece of paper, see,” and Miss Parks dis- 
closed in its hiding-place at the very bottom of the box 
a folded paper, yellow with age. 

“ Did they have these wrappers on when they came ? ” 
asked Felicia. 

“ Ho,” said Miss Loreena, “ I made those, with moth- 
er’s help, to keep their other clothes from getting 
creased. I chose the colors to suit, well as I could. 
Don’t you think this yellow percale is real becoming to 
Spain, dark as she is ? ” 

“ It’s lovely for her,” said Felicia. “ Pedro ought to 
like her, because he’s dark, and father says the name 
I’ve given him is Spanish. May he sniff of her, care- 
fully ? ” 

“Certainly he may,” said Miss Parks, and Pedro 


The New Member of the Family 85 

sniffed, carefully but thoroughly, at Spain, in her yel- 
low wrapper, and seemed to approve her. 

“ This haughty looking one is France,” said Miss 
Loreena. “ It took down her spirit some when I put 
her in that white wrapper, but wait till you see her 
dressed up. This stocky built one is Holland ; kind of 
settled-looking, I call her, don’t you ? This towhead 
is Sweden, and here’s Germany with long braids. She 
don’t appear real bright at first glance, but she’s one 
that wears well. And here’s Italy. I don’t know but 
her eyes favor Carina Lotti a mite — what do you 
say ? ” 

“ I think they do, only of course Carina’s eyes aren’t 
still,” said Felicia, at which Miss Parks, working some 
string in the back of Italy, showed that her eyes could 
be far from still, on occasion. 

That was a long, happy afternoon, and when the dolls 
were all in a row before the fire, taking their last look 
at it before returning to the seclusion of the box, Pedro 
crept down from Felicia’s lap and stood behind them 
for a moment ; then he seated himself, and in another 
moment he was sitting up on his hind legs, the little 
bandaged fore paw and the other well one waving 
gracefully. 

“ Oh ! ” cried Felicia, clapping her hands, and at that, 
as if it were a signal for which he had been waiting, 
Pedro turned round and round on his hind legs, as if he 
were dancing, with slow, careful steps, then settled 
again into the sitting posture. 


86 


Felicia Visits 


“Well, I never!” cried Miss Loreena. “Do you 
s’pose he’s a circus dog, or what ? ” 

“ I don’t know,” said Felicia, “ but he’s darlinger 
than ever, and I suppose he’s more and more valuable, 
Miss Loreena. You’d better come right back to my 
lap, Pedro. I shouldn’t want any harm to come to you 
while you’re visiting. Oh, how am I ever going to part 
from you ! ” as she hugged him close. 

“ There now,” said Miss Loreena as she returned the 
six nations one by one, in their Mother Hubbards, to 
the box, “ don’t you cross that bridge till you come to 
it, Felicia. Who knows but what his folks were start- 
ing for Canada in that automobile ; may have gone there 
to live. I can think of a good deal stranger things than 
that.” 


CHAPTEK IX 


A DAY WITH MR. FOSDICK 

The next morning when the kitchen and all the 
house had been set in order, and Felicia had said good- 
bye to her father, who was to spend the day visiting 
parishioners on some of the scattered farms, she car- 
ried Martin’s cage to the table, and after polishing its 
bars with a bit of old chamois skin she reserved for 
that use, she took from the drawer a piece of pink rib- 
bon. 

“'Now, Martin,” she said coaxingly, “you know you 
have all sorts of beautiful colors right on yourself, but 
dear little Pedro is all black except his brown eyes. 
Now I’ll lay this pink ribbon against his coat, and you 
see how becoming it is ; don’t you think it would be 
nice for me to tie it in his collar, — make a big bow 
of it?” 

She held the ribbon against Pedro’s silky coat, and 
while he flapped his tail against the legs of the wooden 
chair in which he was sitting, Martin pressed close to 
the bars of his cage, surveying the spaniel with head 
cocked knowingly on one side. 

“Very well, very well, bea-u-tiful, bea-u-tiful ! ” he 
screamed at last, after preliminary chuckles and hoarse 
87 


88 


Felicia Visits 


mutterings which not even Felicia could understand. 
“ The best of luck ! ” 

“I’m so glad to have you pleasant, Martin,” said 
Felicia ; “ I couldn’t have done it, if you’d been cross, 
for when you’re invited out visiting you must start the 
day right, or else, as Mrs. Cope says, you’re sure to 
come to grief before night. Now I’ll put the paper on 
your cage, for Mr. Fosdick will be here in a few min- 
utes.” 

“ Glad to see your party’s all ready,” said Mr. Fos- 
dick when he appeared at the kitchen door. “ Now I 
suppose I’d better take the cage, and you take the new 
member of your family. Martin won’t know who has 
him till too late for objections, and Pedro might be 
scared. How’s that paw of his ? ” 

“ It’s just about well,” said Felicia ; “ he doesn’t need 
the bandage really, to-day ; for father said that when 
he heard my voice last night, after I’d been out on my 
snow-shoes with Miss Shaw and Nate Horner, he pat- 
tered to the door on all four feet. But I thought the 
snow might seem a little cold to him this morning.” 

“ Better be on the safe side,” agreed Mr. Fosdick, as 
they went out into the crisp air, and Felicia put the 
key of the kitchen door into a large bag which Mr. 
Fosdick took in his left hand, the right hand holding 
the parrot’s cage carefully away from his coat. 

“I’ve made arrangements not to ’tend store at all 
to-day, unless there’s a great rush of business or some- 
thing unexpected comes up beyond what that boy of 


A Day With Mr. Fosdick 89 

mine can cope with,” said Mr. Fosdick as they started 
up the road. “ He’s been with me some weeks now, 
drawing his pay regular, and strikes me it’s about time 
to try out his abilities and see where they come in. 
Why, if I should take a notion to go to Europe, I don’t 
know as that boy’s capable to be left in charge.” 

“Do you think of going, Mr. Fosdick?” asked 
Felicia with dancing eyes. 

“Think of it? Certain, I do,” said her friend 
promptly. “ I think of it winter evenings consider- 
able, and I’ll show you how I do it, when we get to 
my establishment, and the time fits.” 

When they reached the shop Mr. Fosdick asked 
Felicia if she would “just as soon step through the 
store, and up the private stairs ; ” so the party entered 
between the long counter and the row of flour barrels, 
and mounted the narrow wooden steps at the back of 
the shop, Pedro giving a hasty sniff as they passed the 
hogshead of molasses at the foot of the stairs. 

“ You see I shall be busy entertaining my company,” 
said Mr. Fosdick over his shoulder to the open-mouthed 
boy as the top stair was reached, “ so don’t call on me 
if there happen to be two people here at once ; you fly 
’round and ’tend to ’em.” 

“ Yes, sir,” said the gaping boy, as the door at the 
top of the stairs opened and closed, hiding the company 
from his gaze. 

“ Never been up here before, have you ? ” said Mr. 
Fosdick gleefully, as he saw Felicia’s delighted face. 


9 ° 


Felicia Visits 


“ I never entertain here, excepting little Ben Kingman ; 
other folks I always see down-stairs ; but lately it 
come over me that you’d like this little place, 
and what’s more you’d have some valuable ideas to 
offer.” 

“ I think it is perfectly — fascinating, Mr. Fosdick,” 
said Felicia as she set Pedro down on the floor and he 
began a tour of investigation. “ That’s what Miss 
Shaw would call it, and that’s what it is. Has it al- 
ways been like this ? ” 

“ Well, no,” said Mr. Fosdick ; “ it’s grown, Felicia, 
that’s what it’s done ; you sit down in this rocking-chair 
and I’ll take the other, and I’ll tell you. Will Martin 
take it amiss if we leave him wrapped up a while 
longer ? He’ll have so much to say when he begins to 
look around I thought maybe we might keep him wait- 
ing till I got through.” 

“ Indeed we will,” laughed Felicia. 

She hung her hat and coat on a nail in a little closet 
at one end of the long, low-ceiled room, and then 
seated herself in one of the two chintz-covered rocking- 
chairs drawn before the Franklin stove. 

“ First it was just a kind of a lumber room,” said Mr. 
Fosdick, “ with a bunk at one end where I slept, and a 
little stand down at the other end where I could have 
a bowl and pitcher and a towel or two. Then I began 
to read about these bungalows folks build — all one 
room, divided off here and there, and, thinks I, why 
don’t I have me a bungalow up here on this second 


A Day IVith Mr. Fosdick 91 

story ? What’s to hinder ? And when I reasoned it 
out, there wasn’t one thing to prevent. 

“ I had a few old pieces of furniture — came to me 
from ma, when she died — and I got ’em out of the 
Markhams’ barn, where they’d been stored for years. 
That old secretary’s one, the big round table’s another, 
and all the chairs. Then when there was an auction 
I’d go and pick me out a piece, such as took my fancy. 
That little glass-doored cabinet came to me that way, 
and those footstools and that tip-table. 

“ Then I had those low book shelves made and put what 
books I had in ’em — travel and biography is what I run 
to mostly ; when I read about a book that seems ’s if I 
must own, why I send and get it. You see, what with 
magazines and all, I’ve accumulated considerable. 

“ Then I’ve divided it off into sections lately — more 
in my mind than anything else. Down there where 
the curtains hang is my kitchen — little oil-stove that 
cooks complete, and chimney takes all the smells away ; 
same stove heats the water, so I can have it hot for 
shaving, baths and dish- washing. This side of the cur- 
tains, to the jog in the wall, I call dining-room ; see my 
old china, glass and pewter in the cabinet ? I’ve got 
three table-cloths and a dozen napkins. I could give a 
party, if occasion arose, well as the next one. From 
the jog on I call the rest living-room, though if I wanted 
to be particular I might say that farther end to the 
front was my library. You see I have a window to 
each room ; that one in the dining-room is where I set 


92 


Felicia Visits 


the lamp for little Ben night before Thanksgiving. 
That was quite a time, wasn’t it, Felicia? Well, how 
does my house appear to you ? ” 

“ Oh, I like it so much — please may I look at every- 
thing?” asked his visitor, and with Mr. Fosdick as 
guide she saw every nook and corner of the trans- 
formed garret. 

“ Do you suppose there ever was another place like 
this ? ” she asked, when after a final inspection of the 
kitchen where were a spotless pine table, and a row of 
shining tins, beside two dish-mops and a dish pan, Feli- 
cia returned to the rocking-chair, and taking Martin’s 
cage into her lap, began to unwind the wrappings. 

“ Over the post-office there’s one just about as near 
like it as two peas,” said her friend. “ Perhaps you’ve 
never heard folks tell how in the old days this business 
block of ours was a great double house built by the 
Shipley brothers for their two families. That was the 
way of it ; the Shipleys prospered in all but health, but 
that they never one of ’em had, so they petered out lit- 
tle by little, till when it came to the third generation 
there wasn’t but one puny boy, and he didn’t live to be 
ten. So all their pride o’ race ended in a post-office 
and a grocery store — but there, it might have been 
worse ; there’s a distant cousin that got a good price 
when the town bought one-half and I took the other.” 

“ What is in the other big garret, do you suppose, 
Mr. Fosdick?” asked Felicia, as she set Martin’s cage 
on a shelf in the sun, where Mr. Fosdick had prepared 


93 


A Day IF ith Mr. Fosdick 

a place for the parrot, who began to chuckle and cough, 
as he twisted his head first to one side and then to the 
other, inspecting the premises. 

“A lot of useless old stuff — what you might call 
hrawm and sculch ,” said Mr. Fosdick. “It could be 
made into a proper pretty room, too, even better’n 
mine, for ’tis a corner view you get from the windows. 
See here, Felicia, what’s in your mind ? I know there’s 
something, and so does Pedro — see him hold up that 
paw to attract attention. That’s right, you jump 
straight up in her lap, Pedro.” 

“ Oh, Mr. Fosdick,” said Felicia, “ I have just thought 
of the loveliest plan that ever was, it seems to me. 
Will you promise not to tell ? For nobody knows one 
bit about it yet, except just father and the Tophams, 
and Bobby, and I wrote Winifred a little bit about it, 
and I hinted at it to Mrs. Cope and Miss Shaw last 
night, but they don’t really know. Will you promise ? ” 

“ On my word as native and citizen o’ Blackberry 
Hill, I promise,” said Mr. Fosdick with gratifying ear- 
nestness, and then Felicia told him her plan for a library. 

“ Do you suppose the town would let us, let itself, 
have that room for a library ? ” she questioned. “ If 
we could have that, with book shelves all around the 
room, and some long tables, and lamps, for evenings, 
and chairs, and a stove — if everybody would help — oh, 
I can see it just as plain, in my mind!” said Felicia 
with her eyes tight shut. 

“ Well, I declare,” said Mr. Fosdick. “ I don’t know 


94 


Felicia Visits 


why not — come to think of it. There are a good many 
folks would give books, and some could loan them.” 

“Yes, one set of shelves could be for a loan collec- 
tion, to be read in the room,” said the little girl ea- 
gerly. “And we could give entertainments to raise 
money, and take turns caring for the library, keeping 
every speck of dust away; and sometimes we might 
have a talk from a real lecturer, if we had money 
enough. Oh, Mr. Fosdick, do you suppose the town 
would ? ” 

“Town meeting comes next month,” said Mr. Fos- 
dick promptly. “ If ’twas properly put before the se-* 
lectmen — James Topham and I being two of them — 
and a vote taken then and there, while public sympa- 
thy was with us, nothing would surprise me less than 
to have it carried, unanimous. But there, Felicia, I 
wouldn’t squeeze that doggy quite so hard ; seems to 
me he’s beginning to look kind of weezened round the 
eyes, you’re holding him so tight.” 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you, Pedro,” said Felicia, as 
she loosened her hold and rubbed his ears affection- 
ately. “He won’t ever see the library, probably, 
even if we should have it pretty soon. Miss Loreena 
thinks the people that own him may have gone ’way 
off ; but I don’t believe that could be true — it would be 
too good, if he stayed with me — if they didn’t care for 
him. He has tricks, Mr. Fosdick.” 

“ I want to know if he has accomplishments as well 
as beauty,” said her friend, and he listened gravely to 


A Day IV ith Mr. Fosdick 95 

Felicia’s story of the dolls, and Pedro’s dance among 
them. 

“ More than likely he can do other things,” said Mr. 
Fosdick. “ He may be a regular performing dog, such 
as you read of in the papers. Well, well! But your 
cheeks are getting pretty red, Felicia, with all this talk 
of libraries and so on ; suppose you put it out of your 
mind for a while, and consider my housekeeping. I 
want your advice about where I’d best have a shut-up- 
and-down shelf in my kitchen, what’ll take rust off 
some old knives that’ve been hid away a long time, 
and one or two other matters, and to plan out supper 
with me. For dinner we’re going to have an old style 
fish chowder, such as I learned how to make from my 
friend Cap’n Bowdoin, down on the Cape.” 

It was a delightful day to Felicia; she made biscuit 
to go with the fish chowder, and cooked them in a lit- 
tle tin oven which Mr. Fosdick set in place for her. 
It was like play housekeeping, Felicia thought. Then 
she washed the dishes when dinner was over, and Mr. 
Fosdick wiped them, while Pedro worried a rubber 
ball which had been brought out from a deep drawer 
for his amusement, and Martin talked cheerfully, 
though the sun had left the window. 

In the middle of the afternoon while Felicia was 
mending a rent she had discovered in one of Mr. Fos- 
dick’s old coats, and he was reading to her from a book 
about the Italian lakes, and making her stop work 
often to look at the pictures, the snow began to fall, so 


Felicia Visits 


96 

softly and without any wind to blow it against the 
window-panes, that there was a thick covering on the 
ledges before they saw the flakes. 

Suddenly Felicia realized that it was growing dark, 
and turning from the fire to look out of the window, 
she saw the fast-falling flakes. 

“Just the thing I’d have wished for, if I’d had the 
opportunity offered,” said Mr. Fosdick, shutting his 
book. “You take Martin into the kitchen, Felicia, and 
keep a tight hold on Pedro whilst I open this window 
and put out something to catch a few o’ these big 
flakes and set ’em under the microscope.” 

Felicia was sure that nothing in a real fairy-land 
could be more exquisite than the stars and crosses and 
wonderful little shapes formed by the flakes, as she 
looked at them through the microscope. Pedro was so 
much interested that his paws were in the way once or 
twice, but no one scolded him. Felicia told her father 
about it when, after a supper made from the crowning 
recipes of three cook-books, with a letter from Wini- 
fred and a postal card from Carina Lotti tucked in the 
pocket of her coat, she walked home through the fall- 
ing snow, carrying Pedro, while the minister bore the 
parrot’s cage. 

“ I suppose probably they’ll come for Pedro, or send 
word, to-morrow, father,” she ended with a little catch 
in her breath. “ But I shall never forget him ; I wrote 
about him to mother this morning. He doesn’t always 
behave exactly as I’d choose to have him, about stay- 


97 


A Day With Mr. Fosdick 

ing still, and keeping his paws away from things that 
are not meant for him, and he is not so very patient 
about his food, but as Mr. Fosdick and I said, he has a 
loving heart, and that’s the best thing in this world. 
Oh, father, what — is that an automobile at our gate ? ” 
“ I’m afraid it is,” said the minister gently, and they 
hurried on, silently, for the short distance left until 
they reached the parsonage gate. 


CHAPTER X 


PEDRO’S OWNER APPEARS 

At the parsonage door stood a man in a great fur 
coat, and as Felicia and her father reached the gate, a 
boy’s voice, loud and impatient, called from the auto- 
mobile. 

“Pound on the door!” he cried, and then turning 
his head he saw the tall figure and the short one close 
beside him. Felicia felt the spaniel in her arms shiver 
at the sound of that voice. 

“ What did you wish ? ” asked the minister, looking 
steadily at the handsome, scowling face of the boy, 
as the man at the door came down the path. 

“ I’m after my dog,” said the boy in an imperative 
tone. “ Down at the station they told me the min- 
ister’s family might be able to help me to find him. 
He fell out of the automobile night before last, and 
there was an advertisement in this morning’s paper 
from this place, put in by a woman called Felicia Lane. 
If you’ll tell me where she lives I’ll go there and pay 
her for her trouble and take the dog. I’m in a hurry 
now to get home, for the snow is heavier than when 
we started.” 

Mr. Lane turned to Felicia, who held Pedro, wrapped 
98 


Pedro s Owner Appears 99 

in a little shawl, still closer, as she stepped nearer to 
the boy. 

“I am Felicia Lane,” she said clearly; “you won’t 
have to go any farther to hunt, so won’t you come into 
the house a minute to let me say good-bye to Pedro — 
that’s what I’ve named him — and give him a good-bye 
present I’ve made for him ? Please do.” 

The boy stared at her for a moment. 

“ Get in and wait for me, Hurley,” he said curtly 
to the chauffeur, who touched his cap respectfully and 
obeyed. 

In silence the three went up the path, the minister 
unlocked the door, and entering, lighted the candle 
which stood ready on the table ; then he led the way 
to his study and gravely asked his guest to take a seat. 
Martin’s cage, in all its wrappings, was set in the 
kitchen, and the minister touched a match to the 
kindlings on the hearth and laid on some birch and 
a stout piece of apple wood. The fire caught, and the 
light flickered over the group — over the minister, 
grave and courteous, over Felicia, trembling and scar- 
let-cheeked, over the boy staring curiously about him. 

Felicia unwrapped the little shawl, and set Pedro on 
her knees. 

“ There is your master, Pedro,” she said softly, and 
the boy snapped his fingers at the dog and whistled ; 
but the spaniel put both fore-paws on Felicia’s chest, 
and looked up at her, steadily, with his wistful, plead- 
ing eyes. 


ioo Felicia Visits 

The little girl put her arms around him, and leaned 
forward. 

“ Why doesn’t he want to go to you ? ” she ques- 
tioned. “ Why don’t you call him by his name ? I 
thought dogs always loved their owners and never 
forgot them. I don’t think he has forgotten you, but 
he would rather stay with me! How can that 
be?” 

“Oh, I haven’t had the little beggar very long,” 
said the boy carelessly, but with a trace of embarrass- 
ment. “ It’s only a couple of months since I bought 
him.” 

“ But I’ve only had him two days,” said Felicia, 
wonderingly. “And he loves me already. Were you 
— you couldn’t have been unkind to him — such a dar- 
ling as he is ! ” 

The boy laughed ; it was a short laugh, with no 
sound of happiness in it. 

“ I made him mind,” he said, “ whether he liked it 
or not. I bought him from a trainer, who’d been 
exhibiting him, with some other dogs, at a country 
house where my father and I wxre visiting. And then 
I took him to one or two places, and he wouldn’t show 
off his tricks, so I punished him. I was taking him 
home from a visit the night he fell out of the automo- 
bile. I think he jumped on purpose.” 

Felicia took Pedro’s two little fore-paws in her 
hands and held them gently, looking over his head at 
her guest. The minister stood by the fire, watching 


Pedro s Owner Appears 101 

the handsome boy and Felicia, whose eyes were wide 
with amazement and indignation. 

“ Oh,” she said, “ you are a rich boy, with all the 
money you want, I suppose, to buy things, and perhaps 
you get tired of them — do you ? ” 

“ Of course I do,” said the boy. “ Everybody does. 
Eiding and automobiling and going to shows and vis- 
iting — it’s all tiresome. I have half a dozen dogs 
better than this one, but he knows tricks, if he can be 
made to do them ; otherwise there’s nothing about him 
that’s worth much. I had half a mind not to bother 
to hunt him up. Has he done any tricks for you ? ” 

“ He danced,” said Felicia breathlessly ; “ he danced 
for Miss Loreena Parks and me, in and out, among the 
six nations.” 

“ The six nations are dolls, I understand,” said the 
minister, smiling for the first time at the boy, who 
turned to him involuntarily for explanation. 

“ Dolls ! ” echoed the boy. “ Do you play with 
dolls ? All the girls I know who are as big as you 
are way beyond dolls. How old are you ? ” 

“I’m not fourteen yet,” said Felicia, “and I love 
dolls almost as well as ever ; but I wasn’t exactly play- 
ing with them. Miss Loreena Parks brought them to 
spend the af ternoon with me, and she thinks they are 
instructive, she says, because they are dressed just the 
way people do dress in those countries, and there is a 
piece of paper describing each one — Germany, France, 
Sweden, Holland, Spain and Italy. I think I like 


102 


Felicia Visits 


Italy best of all, for she reminds me a little of my 
friend Carina Lotti.” 

The scowl that had seemed too deeply imbedded in 
the boy’s forehead to be dispelled vanished in a mo- 
ment. 

“ Your friend ! ” he cried. “ Is that little beauty, 
who plays the violin so like the wind, a friend of 
yours ? Do you really know her ? ” 

For answer Felicia took from her pocket the precious 
postal card and held it out to him silently. The boy 
looked at it, and then rising, handed it back to Felicia 
with a bow. 

“ She’s about the best I ever heard,” he said, earnestly; 
the scowl had not returned, and he looked at Felicia 
with much respect. “ They say she’ll be a wonder,” 
he added ; “ my mother thought so ; she played at 
our house last autumn, in the city, just before my 

mother ” He did not finish his sentence, but 

turned, scowling again, to the fire. 

Felicia saw then, what she had not noticed before, 
that on the sleeve of his dark, heavy coat was a band of 
black. 

“ How far is your place from Blackberry Hill ? ” 
asked the minister, in a matter-of-fact tone. 

“ Only about twenty miles — rather less than that,” 
said the boy. “ And it’s an easy road for the machine, 
most of the way. My name is Gilbert Faunce, sir ; 
Great Hemlocks is our place. My father’s out West 
now, seeing about some railroad deals.” 


Pedro s Owner Appears 103 

It must be a bit lonely for you now and then,” said 
the minister, still in his matter-of-fact tone. “ Perhaps, 
as you say the road is easy, you’d be willing to bring 
the dog over to see us once in a while ; it would delight 
Felicia, and I should be glad to have you come at any 
time.” 

“Oh,” the boy hesitated, and looked at Felicia. 
Pedro, still shivering a little, was sitting in her lap, her 
hands clasped under his head. “ I — I think I’d like to 
leave him here a while if I may,” he stammered. 
“ The little girl is fond of him, and she hasn’t seen all 
his tricks yet ; I think he’ll do them for her. He and 
I never hit it off,” and the boy looked frankly up at the 
minister. “ I never really cared for him. I just 
thought he might amuse me, and when he didn’t, I was 
angry. I have a hot temper, sir.” 

“ So had I, when I was your age,” said the minister, 
and at the sound of an indignant though smothered pro- 
test from Felicia, the boy turned quickly to her. 

“ It might be,” he said, “ for father says his was ter- 
rible, and now you’d never know he had one ; he doesn’t 
care enough about anything, he says, to get angry over 
it. He doesn’t care what I do, as long as I don’t bother 
him. Only — he won’t let me take any more violin 
lessons — he doesn’t like to hear it — mother used to 
play ; ” he jerked the phrases out, adding hastily : “ I’ll 
be glad to come soon again, Mr. Lane ; good-night, sir, 
and thank you.” 

He shook hands hurriedly with the minister. 


104 


Felicia Visits 


“ Don’t get up,” he said to Felicia ; “ you and — Pedro 
— look comfortable, and it might scare him again. I 
used to call him Cockles — that was the trainer’s name 
for him, but Pedro suits him better ; good-bye,” and he 
made another bow to Felicia, without stopping to hear 
her eager thanks, or attempting to shake hands. 

A moment later the great automobile whirred away 
and the minister returned to the study to find Felicia 
on the rug, talking to Pedro. 

“ I’ve been telling him,” she said, as she lifted her 
shining eyes to her father’s face, “ that he must learn to 
love Gilbert Faunce, because he has been so kind to us, 
and probably his scowl doesn’t mean anything particu- 
lar, and when he punished Pedro it was because he was 
disappointed and lonesome, and has a hot temper, which 
even ministers have sometimes when they are boys. 
And I have told him that this house and everything is 
his as much as ours as long as he stays, and that every 
one in Blackberry Hill will be his friend.” 

“ And how much of all that long speech do you think 
Pedro has understood ? ” asked her father, laughing. 

“Why, Father Lane!” cried Felicia reproachfully. 
“ I’m sure he acts and looks as if he had understood 
every single word ! ” 


CHAPTER XI 


CONFIDENCES 

In spite of the fact that it was past her usual bed- 
time, Felicia sat down to write a letter to Winifred that 
night, after reading the one from her friend. Mr. 
Lane thought it would help to work off some of the 
evening’s excitement, and when he saw Felicia’s pen 
flying over the paper, he knew he had been wise. 

“ I’m glad you are having such a lovely time, Wini- 
fred,” she wrote after a few preliminaries, “ but I don’t 
see how anything can be much more exciting than 
Blackberry Hill is these days. To-night when father 
and I came home from Mr. Fosdick’s (where I’d had 
a beautiful time that I’ll have to tell you about, be- 
cause it would take too long to write), there was a 
grand automobile at the gate. A tall man in a fur 
coat was at the door, and in the automobile was the 
boy to whom Pedro belongs, and his name is Gilbert 
Faunce, and he is very rich, and lives part of the time 
in the city and part of the time at a place called Great 
Hemlocks, only twenty miles from Blackberry Hill. 
Just he and his father (and ever so many servants, I sup- 
pose) live alone, for his mother died after Carina Lotti 
had played for them last fall, at their house in the city. 

105 


io6 


Felicia Visits 


And his mother played the violin, so now his father will 
not let him play, for it makes him sad. But anything 
else he likes he may do, and his father doesn’t care, as 
long as he is not bothered, for he is a busy railroad man ; 
once he had a hot temper, and Father Lane says he had 
one too, though I can hardly believe it. Gilbert 
Faunce says they did not 4 hit it off,’ he and Pedro ; 
he has other dogs he likes better, but he thought 
Pedro would amuse him and he didn’t. When 
Gilbert Faunce found I knew Carina Lotti he was 
so excited, and his scowl went away for quite a few min- 
utes, and he looked handsome. I showed him a pos- 
tal card from Carina, and father says he was truly 
polite, for in spite of wonderings, he did not ask me how 
I knew Carina. I should have told him, but then he 
spoke a little about his mother, and I was so sorry for 
him I forgot everything else. But, Winifred, he has 
left Pedro for me, to stay with me a long time perhaps ! 
And Gilbert is coming often to see us, and father liked 
him, and so there’s another person coming to Black- 
berry Hill!” 

There were only a few words more before, with a 
sudden yawn, Felicia signed her name and slipped the 
letter in its envelope, sealed it, and went off to bed, 
with Pedro close at her heels. A soft rug at the foot 
of Felicia’s bed had been selected for his sleeping place, 
but although he listened with apparent content to the 
little girl’s explanation, it cannot be said that Pedro 
remained on the rug all night. He made frequent ex- 


io 7 


Confidences 

cursions to Felicia’s head to make sure that she was 
there, and very early in the morning he snuggled him- 
self close to her back, and would not be dislodged by 
any of her drowsy, half-hearted attempts. 

“ Now you’ve got this day clear, with no visits to 
pay, you’d better tutor him a little,” said Miss Loreena 
when she had been told the joyful news. 

Felicia looked doubtfully at Miss Parks, who was at 
that moment scouring knives with a most determined 
air. 

“ He’s a nice little doggy,” said Miss Loreena firmly. 
“Yes, you are, Pedro, a nice little doggy — you put 
your paws right down off my skirt ; bath-brick won’t 
make ’em look a bit better ; now you mind what I say, 
get down ! There, for mercy sake, don’t look so piti- 
ful at me. Felicia, can’t you come away from that 
stove a minute, and pay a little attention to Pedro ? 
He’s lonesome.” 

Felicia laughed, and told Miss Parks she was the one 
who would spoil Pedro, but Miss Loreena apparently 
did not hear. 

“ This is one of my deaf mornings,” she announced, 
“ and I’ve left my little contrivance Mr. Ledyard gave 
me at home ; you’ll have to speak up good and loud if 
’tis anything important,” and her eyes twinkled know- 
ingly as she looked at Felicia. “ I wish you’d asked 
that boy what some of his tricks are. Suppose he can 
tell colors, same as I’ve read some of the trained dogs 
can ? Why don’t you try him, while you’re waiting 


Felicia Visits 


108 

for those cakes to come out of the oven, before we go 
up-stairs to sweep and dust ? ” 

That was the beginning of a most surprising time for 
Felicia and Miss Parks. The latter, who was a great 
reader of the daily news, suggested to Felicia various 
tricks of which she had heard, and Pedro, being tested, 
proved that he could perform a number of them with- 
out any hesitation. Others he had apparently half 
learned. When it was time to go up-stairs he took in 
his mouth the handle of a small whisk broom which 
Felicia offered him, and trotted proudly after her, up 
the stairs. 

“We won’t tell much about his tricks, will we, Miss 
Loreena ? ” said Felicia, when they were doing the 
dishes together after dinner. “ Don’t you think a 
good many would pay ten cents to see him perform, 
for the benefit of the library ? ” For Miss Parks (under 
pledge of secrecy) had been told of the new project, 
and warmly approved it when Felicia whispered it 
close into her ear, holding a feather duster for a shield 
from any possible listener, in the depths of a big closet. 

“ Nobody shall drag a word about it out of me,” as- 
serted Miss Loreena valiantly. “I think ’twould be 
safe to set the price for such an exhibition a notch 
higher — say make it fifteen cents. You want to charge 
enough to make folks realize they’re getting something 
choice — that’s the city way, and there’s some reason in 
it, too.” 

All day long Felicia could think and talk of little 


Confidences 109 

else than her delightful dreams of a library for Black- 
berry Hill. When Hate Horner came to take her 
snow-shoeing for a while that evening, it was not ten 
minutes before she had let part of the secret escape 
her. 

“ There ! ” she said, half -laughing, half -regretful, 
“ I’ve told another person ! You see, Winifred isn’t 
here ; when she’s here I can keep things ever so much 
better.” 

“ I think it’s a first-rate plan,” said Hate with enthu- 
siasm, when he had been told a little more. “ Is it 
your idea that we’d have books on all sorts of subjects, 
Felicia ? Say wood-carving for instance, and architec- 
ture, and all kinds of work ? ” 

“Mr. Fosdick says all who contribute in any way 
should be consulted and have a vote,” said Felicia, “ and 
the only limit should be our funds. I have two dol- 
lars and seventeen cents in my bank now, Hate, and 
that would buy three books, good ones, at library rates, 
father says ; but I think he meant story books. I’m 
afraid wood-carving and architecture books would cost 
more. Maybe Mr. Gregg has some he would let us 
have for the loan collection, to be read in the library. 
He thinks you have real talent for decorating, Hate. 
He told me so, after the Washington’s birthday cele- 
bration.” 

“ Hever said a word to me about it,” Hate responded, 
gruffly, though he was crimson with pride at this recog- 
nition of his one graceful accomplishment. “ I guess 


no 


Felicia Visits 


he thinks any fellow with arms that can reach as far as 
mine could have done it.” 

“ Oh, no, he doesn’t,” persisted Felicia, so earnestly 
that she forgot her snow-shoes, leaned far forward and 
lost her balance. “ There, Nate Horner, see what you 
made me do, not believing my compliment ! ” she said, 
laughing as Nate helped her to her feet, and brushed 
the snow from her coat while she vigorously shook her 
skirt. “ The snow is getting pretty soft again ; we 
need some more real stormy weather.” 

“ You wait till mud time comes,” said Nate darkly, 
as they started down the hill to the post-office where 
Miss Shaw was to join them. “ This place at the very 
top of the hill is like a quagmire, and it gets worse and 
worse as you go down each way. You won’t wish for 
storms then.” 

“ Why, we ought to have mud scows, then, like the 
ones I’ve read about,” said Felicia. “ There’s Miss 
Shaw. Oh, Miss Shaw, we missed you. Are all those 
letters that kept you at home written ? ” 

“ Written and posted,” said the teacher, “ and I have 
fifteen minutes to spare for snow-shoeing.” 

“Miss Shaw, I told Nate about our library,” said 
Felicia as the three friends were saying good-night. 
“ I didn’t really mean to — but I’m glad he knows. I 
think he will be a great help about decorating it, don’t 
you ? Doesn’t it sound almost as if we had the library 
already ? ” 

“ It certainly does,” said Miss Shaw. “Now run 


Ill 


Confidences 

along to bed, my dear, and don’t stay awake to think 
of your plans ; go to sleep and dream of them.” 

“ I don’t see why we shouldn’t have it,” said Nate 
slowly, when the parsonage door had closed on Felicia. 
“ ’Most everybody in Blackberry Hill could help along. 
Father says there’s hardly any one here who’s really 
poor, but they’ve all got out of the way of spending 
money because there hasn’t been much chance to spend 
it. I shouldn’t wonder if I could do some mottoes on 
the walls, if they all wanted me to do it — kind of 
illuminated ; I’ve been trying my hand at it a little. 
My aunt sent me a book and some water-colors and 
pasteboard a while ago. I haven’t said anything about 
it because I had a notion to give something to Felicia 
and her father to put in Mr. Lane’s study, if I could do 
anything good enough. I’d like to show you, some 
time, if you’d just as soon, and get your opinion on it.” 

“ Why, Nate, of course I’d be delighted,” said Miss 
Shaw, holding out her hand which Nate seized in his 
big one and wrung till she winced. “ Bring it to-mor- 
row night, if you will, for Saturday night is your 
band rehearsal, I believe, isn’t it ? ” 

“Yes,” said Nate, “every other Saturday, and I 
guess you’d be glad if you heard us that Mr. Lane had 
decided we’d better just keep to the singing at Mrs. 
Cope’s, and do the brass playing at the engine-house. 
We do make an awful noise, but ’tisn’t quite so 
bad as it was at first. My fingers are better for 
paints than for any kind of keys, though,” he added 


112 


Felicia Visits 


ruefully. “ I seem to hit three or four every time when 
I aim for one. I don’t believe I was ever cut out to be 
a musician. And I guess Mrs. Cope ’ll be after me if I 
keep you standing here any longer. I’ll bring that 
thing around to-morrow night, thank you.” 

“ Good-night,” said Miss Shaw, and she ran up the 
path to have the front door opened by Mrs. Cope who 
bent rather a severe look on Nate’s retreating form. 

“ Teeth chattering, I expect,” she said, drawing the 
young teacher along to the kitchen. “ When I get a 
good chance I’ll give that boy a piece of my mind. 
But there,” she added more mildly, “ I suppose I ought 
to remember his sense hasn’t grown to his body yet. 
Here, you drink down this hot lemonade, and sit up 
close as you can get to the stove. Is there any special 
news going the rounds to-night ? ” 


CHAPTER XII 


ME. GEEGG HELPS THE LIBEAEY 

The old horse jogging along the road, jangling his 
sleigh-bells, could not have been more welcome to 
Felicia had he been an enchanted steed such as galloped 
through the pages of one of her most-prized fairy-tales ; 
he was drawing her and Bobby in the old pung, under 
the shabby fur robe, to a land of hope, where one of 
her many dreams would come true. Felicia was as 
sure of that as she was that the small black head be- 
tween Bobby and herself, belonging to Pedro, included 
by Mr. Gregg’s special request in the day’s program 
of visiting. 

“ The first time I came along this road I was a little 
bit frightened,” said Felicia, as they swung around 
the corner into the river-road. “ I remember I’d held 
my flowers so tight the stems were almost crushed. 
And now to think what friends Mr. Gregg and I are, 
and what good friends father and he, and you and he 
have grown to be, and how kind he is to everybody ! ” 

“ Yes, he is,” said Bobby, “ but he isn’t as easy to talk 
to as your father, Felicia — not for me, at any rate.” 

“Mrs. Cope says he is one that has reserves — no, 
reserve,” said Felicia, “ and that such people are not so 
113 


U4 


Felicia Visits 


quick to know others. She says she has always had 
reserve herself, so she knows how it is.” 

“Some of the times when she’s talked up to the 
Hilliard boys and Donald French about keeping still in 
church, she hasn’t been so very reserved,” said Bobby 
with a sober face but laughing eyes, and Felicia nodded 
appreciatively. 

“Hot so very,” she admitted, “ but I guess that isn’t 
what she means, Bobby. Oh, look, there are ever so 
many of the boys skating on the river. Can you 
whistle loud enough for them to hear, so we can 
wave ? ” 

“ I guess so,” said Bobby, and removing his mitten 
he put his fingers to his lips and gave a whistle so loud 
and shrill that the group on the river faced, as one boy, 
toward the road. 

Felicia waved her handkerchief and Bobby waved 
his cap, while from the skaters there came a chorus of 
whistles, which could have been heard for a long dis- 
tance, and a whirl of skating caps. 

“ Hate is there, so perhaps they all know what we’re 
going to ask Mr. Gregg,” said Felicia. “ I told Hate 
it really wouldn’t be a secret after to-day.” 

“ I don’t believe there are many in town but what 
have some notion about it; Mr. Topham said half a 
dozen spoke to him about it last night at the office. He 
said they all seemed to know as much about it as he 
did. All the selectmen were there, and they approved. 
He said the town meeting wouldn’t be much more 



THE WONDERFUL PLAN WAS TOLD 





































































• • 






















Mr. Gregg Helps the Library 1 1 5 

than a form ; 4 it’s a case where the popularity of the 
object ensures the vote,’ he said,” and Bobby felt quite 
proud as he quoted this fine sentence and heard Feli- 
cia’s gasp of admiration. 

“ Mr. Fosdick says you will be one of Blackberry 
Hill’s foremost citizens one of these days, Bobby ; ” she 
selected this sentence from many complimentary ones 
treasured in her memory as being nearly a match for 
his own quotation, and Bobby reddened with pleasure. 

When the old pung had bumped into the field and 
over the snow to the little old house where Mr. Gregg 
lived, the door opened to show two figures, that of the 
former hermit, and beside him the plump and cheery 
Mrs. Lunt, his cousin and housekeeper. The two young 
people received a warm welcome, and when the old 
horse had been comfortably established in the barn 
which had been added in the autumn to Mr. Gregg’s 
farm, for the accommodation of his own newly pur- 
chased horse, the group gathered around a blazing log 
fire and began to talk. 

44 1 thought of asking Miss Shaw to join us,” said Mr. 
Gregg, 44 but then it occurred to me we might have 
this one party for old friends, like you and Bobby and 
myself, and let Mrs. Lunt see how well we know each 
other, and what a good time we can have. Is Pedro 
happy, Felicia, squeezed so tight under your arm ? He 
seems a little restless.” 

44 1 never — knew — him — to — wriggle — so ! ” gasped 
Felicia, securing a firmer hold on her charge. 44 1 told 


Felicia Visits 


116 

him he must keep still and not be in the way, and I 
thought he understood ! ” 

“ Suppose you put him down,” suggested the host, 
and Felicia gladly did so. 

Pedro shook himself when he was free, wagged his 
tail, held up his right paw for Felicia to shake hands, 
and then turned his attention to the other members of 
the party, with whom he quickly made friends. He 
seemed especially pleased with Mrs. Lunt, and after 
several hand-shakings he managed to seat himself on a 
part of her skirt which lay on the floor, fortunately 
close to his little mistress. 

“ I suspect you know who will give you your din- 
ner,” laughed Mrs. Lunt. “ I have a real party dish 
made for you, Pedro, something little dogs always like.” 

Pedro beat the friendly black skirt with his tail, and 
looked from one to another with evident satisfaction. 
Before long he stretched himself at full length, his fore- 
paws extended to the fire, and went fast asleep. 

(i Mr. Gregg,” said Felicia, her breath coming fast, 
as their host spread on a table a great book at which 
he wished her and Bobby to look, when Mrs. Lunt had 
taken up her sewing ; “ Mr. Gregg, there’s something 
I’d like to tell you before we begin to look at the pic- 
tures, please. It’s — it’s a plan, Mr. Gregg, and we hope 
you’ll think it is a beautiful one. You must help me, 
Bobby, for you have some splendid ideas about it.” 

Then the wonderful plan was told, principally by Fe- 
licia, but with many appeals to Bobby, who added his so- 


Mr. Gregg Helps the Library 117 

ber words, his excitement showing only in the flush that 
mounted to his forehead. Mr. Gregg listened, asking 
no questions, and Mrs. hunt’s work soon dropped, un- 
heeded, in her lap. She was the first to speak when at 
last “ the whole story so far as it’s gone,” Felicia said, 
had been told. She turned to her cousin, smiling 
wisely. 

“ There, Cousin Silas,” she said triumphantly, “ didn’t 
I tell you yesterday that ’twas a pity you couldn’t dis- 
pose of some of these books that you’ve really no use 
for, and unpack those two great boxes full of your ’olo- 
gies that you’re so fond of, and haven’t opened for 
years ? Didn’t I tell you there were other children in 
Blackberry Hill beside Felicia and Bobby, and grown 
people, too, that would jump at the chance to read the 
books that are gathering dust on your shelves ? Didn’t 
I?” 

“ You certainly did,” assented Mr. Gregg with the 
rare laugh which his energetic cousin sometimes drew 
from him by her tone of triumph over small victories ; 
“and this seems to be my opportunity.” He pon- 
dered for moment, looking into the fire. “Well, why 
not ? ” he said with a little effort, half to himself. 
“ Why not ? ” 

“ I don’t mean any of those you are ’specially at- 
tached to, that belonged to her,” said Mrs. Lunt lean- 
ing forward quickly to lay her hand on his arm. “ I 
mean the ones that have no particular association.” 

Mr. Gregg nodded gravely. 


1 18 


Felicia Visits 


“ I understand,” he said, “ but there are some, even 
of those, I shall send to the new library.” 

Felicia clapped her hands and then turning, she 
shook Bobby gently by the sleeve. 

“ Did you hear him, Bobby ? ” she asked. “ He be- 
lieves in it, just as much as we do, Bobby. And you 
know father said ‘ if Mr. Gregg is interested ’ — you are 
interested, aren’t you, Mr. Gregg, very much inter- 
ested ? ” 

“Very much interested,” echoed her friend; “so 
much that I have changed my plan already for the 
day. There is no telling when I might get you and 
Bobby here together again; how would you like to 
look over the books with me to-day, and select some 
for the library — to be given outright, or for a loan col- 
lection in case of those which I still wish to own.” 

Felicia pinched her arm, a good hard pinch, before 
she answered. 

“You see I have dreams that seem very real, some- 
times,” she said, “ and I want to be sure this is a wide- 
awake, true happening, Mr. Gregg. It is so surprising 
and it’s all come so fast ! Just think — a week ago 
there wasn’t even the beginning of a library, and now 
I feel as if it were almost here ! ” 

There was a fine dinner that day, prepared by 
Mrs. hunt’s practiced hands, but she complained, half 
laughing, that nobody knew or cared what the food 
was. When it came to the dish-washing, however, she 
was in as great a hurry as Felicia to have it done, and 


Mr. Gregg Helps the Library 119 

get back to the books. It could not be said that she 
was a rapid worker among them, but she thoroughly 
enjoyed her part. 

“ There,” she would say, pausing, duster in one hand 
and open book in the other, “ if this isn’t the very thing 
I read when I was in my ’teens ! Now let me see, how 
did that turn out ? ” and sinking into a chair she would 
lose herself in the story for some time, turning the 
pages rapidly, and chuckling to herself as she read. 
Then she would rise, clap the covers together, and lay 
the book on one of the piles designed for the library, 
saying, “ That’s a good story — just as good to-day as it 
was twenty-five years ago — if not better.” 

“ Oh, here’s a book on wood-carving and mu-m-u-r-a-1 
decoration,” said Felicia. “ What does that mean, 
Mr. Gregg ? It’s a beautiful book, all about the things 
Nate loves.” 

“ Mural has to do with walls,” said Mr. Gregg ; “ it 
refers to the decoration of public buildings, churches, 
halls and places of that sort, Felicia. Would Nate like 
that book in the loan collection ? ” 

“Would he ! ” cried Felicia. “ Oh, Mr. Gregg, he’d 
love it! Father says that because Nate is big and 
seems a little rough sometimes, people don’t know how 
he loves beautiful things; and father said something 
else about his having the soul of an artist, but I can’t 
remember it quite, so I won’t try to tell you. But it 
was very complimentary to Nate, Mr. Gregg.” 

“ Your friends all have remarkable points, it seems 


120 


Felicia Visits 


to me, little girl,” and Mr. Gregg gave a quizzical but 
affectionate smile to Felicia, who looked straight into 
his eyes with her sweet, frank gaze. 

“Yes, they have, Mr. Gregg, all of them,” she said 
earnestly. “ But then, I think Blackberry Hill is a re- 
markable place, don’t you ? And everybody says the 
air and the water are equal to the best — Mrs. Cope 
told me that. She says it makes clear brains. She 
thinks Pedro will be a wonderful dog if he has 
Blackberry Hill advantages. There, Pedro ! I’ve 
waked you up. Ho, you stay on that lovely cushiony 
rug where Mr. Gregg said you might lie. I’m right 
here where you can see me all the time — but I’m 
busy.” 

She ran over to Pedro and petted him for a minute, 
and then returned to her work. It was a drowsy day 
for Pedro, but when Mr. Lane arrived, late in the after- 
noon, he and Mr. Gregg took the dog for a short scamper 
on the snow-encrusted field before the old pung was 
ready for the homeward journey. 

“ Father,” said Felicia, in a tone of awe, when they 
had said good-bye to the host and hostess with many 
thanks and she was safely tucked in between her father 
and Bobby, with Pedro cuddled close in her arms, 
“ father — how many books do you suppose Mr. Gregg 
has selected for us to have for the new library ? You 
couldn’t guess, could you? How, Bobby, let’s tell 
him, together, the way we planned — the whole thing.” 

“ Three — hundred — and — seventy-five — given ; one-^ 


121 


Mr. Gregg Helps the Library 

hundred — and — eighty-five — loaned,” they repeated in 
a sort of chant, Bobby slapping the reins to mark the 
time, “ and the promise — of — a — check — for — one 
HUNDRED DOLLARS ! 0-O-oh ! ” 


CHAPTER XIII 


AN UNEXPECTED GUEST 

From that time on the whole village talked and 
thought of the library, not as something that might be, 
but as something that was sure to come to pass, the 
sooner the better. Felicia’s letters to her mother, to 
Winifred, and to her Aunt Mary, had little else in 
them than news of the wonderful plans. 

“ Tell Johnny that when he comes I will take him to 
our library and show him a beautiful book, all colored — 
every letter of it,” Felicia wrote her aunt. “ And per- 
haps when he comes here to live, when mother is home, 
there’ll be a little round table with picture books on it, 
for there is one baby in Blackberry Hill now, and of 
course, Mrs. Cope says, there must be provision for all 
ages — so that means Johnny too, when once he is, as 
Mr. Fosdick calls himself, a proud resident of our 
town.” 

“ Mrs. Cope says she shall spend some of her contri- 
bution for a set of cook-books,” Felicia wrote her 
mother, “ and she says they are full of splendid re- 
ceipts 4 for those who are not in the best of health, as 
well as for those who could digest a paving-stone, such 
as the Hilliard boys.’ She is funny, mother, and some* 
122 


An Unexpected Guest 123 

times she sounds very reproving, but she doesn’t really 
mean it.” 

To Winifred, her letters were so hurriedly written 
and so full of items jumbled in just as Felicia happened 
to think of them, that her friend was growing more 
impatient with each succeeding day. 

“ I’m having a lovely time, of course,” came in re- 
sponse to Felicia’s story of the visit to Mr. Gregg, “ but 
it does seam as if everything began to happen just as 
soon as I came, although of course a great deel had 
happened before. Mrs. Hargate says she will give one 
hundred dollars to our library and not forget us after 
that ! ” 

“ Isn’t it wonderful, father ? ” said Felicia, again and 
again. “ It is just as Mrs. Topham says — it reaches 
out, and reaches out, this little bit of a Blackberry 
Hill, and wherever it reaches out it touches somebody 
that helps to make it more lovely.” 

They were sitting in the dusk, and Felicia had been 
telling her father of the delightful day spent at the 
Markhams’, and of some new plans she and Miss Ellen 
had made — the newest plans of all that now ran riot 
through Felicia’s little head. 

“ Miss Ellen said her mother had never been willing 
before to have the exhibition,” said Felicia, “ but 
she and I had a long, long talk all about the library, 
and I told her how Pedro was going to do his tricks 
with me to help him, for ten cents a person, and how 
we children meant to give a concert if Miss Shaw and 


124 


Felicia Visits 


you thought we could, and all of a sudden she said, 
4 I’ll have the attic sale everybody’s been begging for 
so long — I’ll have it next summer, early, so all the 
summer folks can come ! ’ Just like that she said it, 
father — quick, and real pleased ! And Miss Ellen is 
so glad, for she knows it will take her mother 
right out of herself, and she’s been thinking she was 
growing old, and was 4 living on borrowed time,’ and 
when she told me that, I had to laugh, because of 
course Mrs. Markham isn’t old ! I said nobody who 
was old could make a handkerchief doll dance on her 
finger the way Mrs. Markham does; and then she 
laughed and said it was a — 4 a frame of mind,’ father. 
And it’s all the library that’s making her feel young 
again ! ” 

“ Yes,” assented the minister, but in his mind there 
was a slight reservation. The people of Blackberry 
Hill never let a day pass without showing that back 
of all their interest in the new library was their love 
for the little eager, brown-eyed girl whose day-dreams, 
never for herself alone, must be made to come true. 

44 And Miss Ellen has such remarkable things to 
show, father,” Felicia chattered on. 44 And she’ll make 
gingerbread animals in wooden moulds — two hun- 
dred years old, father, and the lion’s mane is just as 
natural as life, Miss Ellen says. You couldn’t eat her 
animals, for they’re hard as rocks, but then you 
wouldn’t wish to ; Mrs. Cope told me they had been 
4 at ’ Mrs. Markham for years to have a sale of those 


125 


An Unexpected Guest 

animals, so each person in town could have one to 
remember her by, 4 for the secret would die with her, as 
it is a gift of rolling known only to her ; ’ but I think 
that wasn’t a cheerful way to ask.” 

44 Felicia,” said her father, laughing, 44 you must put 
up your fingers for quotation marks, or I shan’t know 
which are your ideas, and which our good neighbor’s.” 

44 1 can’t help remembering,” said Felicia penitently, 
44 but I do like to say her words, too, for they always 
make you laugh. Father, there’s an automobile honk- 
ing. Do you suppose it could be Gilbert Faunce ? I 
believe it is.” 

Sure enough, it was their new friend, who stood on 
the step, looking up at Mr. Lane with a half -shamed, 
half- wistful expression on his handsome young face. 

44 Come in, come in!” said Mr. Lane, extending a 
cordial hand and drawing the boy into the house be- 
fore he had an opportunity to make the speech he had 
planned on the way over from Great Hemlocks. 44 Fe- 
licia, you were right.” 

44 1 guessed it might be you,” said Felicia, holding 
out her hand, and shaking Gilbert’s in real Blackberry 
Hill style, 44 and now you’ve come, you’ll have to eat 
toast and jam with father and me.” 

44 Oh, is it — is it a meal-time ? ” asked the boy, draw- 
ing back ; but the minister put his arm over Gilbert’s 
shoulder, and turned him toward the study. 

44 It doesn’t make any difference about the meal- 
time,” said Mr. Lane, 44 but Felicia is never happy until 


126 


Felicia Visits 


a new friend has tasted some of her cooking. Isn’t 
that so, little girl ? ” 

Felicia laughed as she lighted two tall candles, lately 
presented to the minister by Mr. Fosdick, and the 
light went flickering into the dim corners of the old 
room, but her voice was a little shy. 

“ It’s the thing I can do best, you see,” she said to 
the boy, “ and I like it better than anything else 
except music and books and all out-of-doors.” 

The boy laughed and stared at her frankly. 

“ She must be an awfully clever girl,” he said, turning 
to Mr. Lane, but the minister smiled and Felicia shook 
her head violently. 

“Oh, no,” she said, earnestly, “indeed I’m not, 
Gilbert. Oh,” and Felicia turned pink all over her 
pretty face, “ I didn’t mean to say your name right 

out — but father and I ” F elicia’s voice faltered and 

she was plainly much distressed for fear she had given 
offense. 

“ I hope you’ll never call me anything else,” said 
the boy with what Felicia described to Winifred as 
“a grand bow.” “If I’m really to stay for toast 
and jam, sir,” he added, turning to Mr. Lane, “ I’ll let 
my man run the machine down to the post-office, and 
go in there for a while ; it’s rather cold to-night.” 

“ That was kind of him, father,” whispered Felicia, 
while Gilbert went to the door. “ Here, Pedro,” she 
said, bringing a drowsy, silken bundle from the kitchen 
and setting it down on four sleepy uncertain paws, 


127 


An Unexpected Guest 

“ you be very good to Gilbert while I’m getting sup- 
per, and show him that you are really fond of him, 
after all.” 

She closed the door into the kitchen and went sing- 
ing about her preparations for supper. She brought 
Martin from his parlor to the shelf, and carried on a 
conversation with him in low tones. 

“Mrs. Cope would be dreadfully shocked, Martin, 
to think of our having Gilbert Faunce eat in the 
kitchen. I’m pretty sure she would. But a beautiful 
big kitchen like this, with a dining-room end, Martin, 
he probably will be glad to eat his toast and jam in it, 
don’t you think so ? ” 

“ Yery well,” chuckled the parrot, “ very well — how 
d’you do ? ” 

“ Don’t you tell, Martin,” cautioned the little girl, 
“ don’t you dare say anything about it out loud before 
they come in — but I’m going to make an omelet, 
Martin, out of those four beautiful eggs the Mark- 
hams gave me ; father ’d like it, I know. I do hope 
it will turn out one of my best. Now, see, I’m break- 
ing the eggs as softly as I can ; but they couldn’t hear 
me, anyway, for they are talking, and Pedro is bark- 
ing, too, one of his happy barks. Now, Martin, wish 
me good luck, please.” 

The parrot cocked his head on one side, and gazed 
at Felicia deftly beating something with a fork. 

“ The best of luck,” he croaked. “ Martin is a gen- 
tleman. The best of luck.” 


128 


Felicia Visits 


“Everything is ready,” said Felicia breathlessly a 
few minutes later, opening the study door ; “ will you 
please come out quick ? ” 

“ Oh, I say, what a jolly room ! ” cried the boy as he 
looked up at the beams over his head, at the snowy- 
covered table, the kettle singing on the stove, the ge- 
raniums in the windows, and last of all, at Martin on 
his shelf. “ How d’you do, sir ? ” he said in greeting 
to the parrot as he caught a gleam from Martin’s eye. 
“ You’re a handsome bird.” 

“ What’s all this ? ” demanded the parrot, eyeing him 
with small favor. “ What’s all this ? ” 

“You’ll have to excuse him,” said Felicia, as 
they sat down. “ He does not care so very much 
for gentlemen, usually. He isn’t even fond of 
father.” 

Gilbert looked at the plate with its two piles of hot 
buttered toast, at the golden omelet which Felicia was 
at the moment dividing, and at the pot of jam close to 
his hand. He rose and bowed over the table to his 
little hostess as he accepted a plate heaped with the 
omelet. 

“ If you think I mind a little thing like a parrot at a 
time like this,” he said, and he put his hand over his 
heart as he set down his plate, with such a funny ex- 
pression of exaggerated delight that Mr. Lane and 
Felicia laughed to see him. 

“ Gilbert is very much more grown up than any of 
the Blackberry Hill boys,” Felicia wrote Winifred in 


An Unexpected Guest 129 

describing this supper party, “ but father says he isn’t 
really as grown up as he seems.” 

In the midst of the meal there came an imperative 
knock at the kitchen door, and when it was opened, 
Mrs. Cope stepped in. 

“ I heard an automobile stop here a while ago,” she 

began, “ and I thought maybe Mr. Ledyard Oh, I 

didn’t know you had strangers,” and with one piercing 
glance at the boy she turned to go. 

“ He isn’t a stranger, Mrs. Cope, he is Gilbert Faunce, 
to whom Pedro belongs,” said Felicia hastily. “ This 
is our neighbor, Mrs. Cope, Gilbert.” 

The boy had risen at her entrance and now stepped 
forward to take her extended hand. 

“ I’m pleased to meet you,” said Mrs. Cope. “ I hope 
you see what a good home your dog selected. There’s 
no better. Everything any dog needs in the way of 
food or attention he’ll get here. Our minister’s family 
lives as well as the best ; because they’ve got some ideas 
different from other folks it doesn’t follow they’re 
pinched in any way.” 

Gilbert looked bewildered, but he bowed politely. 

“ He’s a very lucky dog,” he said, not knowing ex- 
actly what else to say and seeing that Felicia was ap- 
parently a little disturbed by the neighbor’s words, and 
that even Mr. Lane was not anxious to have the con- 
versation prolonged. 

“ I’m glad you appreciate it,” said Mrs. Cope stiffly. 
“ I’ll bid you good- night. We shall probably meet 


130 Felicia Visits 

again. Felicia, I’d like to speak to you just one min- 
ute in the study.” 

“ Do you think I’m going to have any rich man’s son 
looking down on my minister’s family just because they 
eat in the kitchen ? ” she demanded in a fierce whisper, 
having pressed Felicia’s head close to her shoulder, be- 
hind the study door. “ I’ll attend to him. That’s all 
I wanted to say, child,” and she held Felicia off and 
searched her face keenly. 

“ Oh, but he isn’t like that,” whispered Felicia, and 
she put her soft lips to Mrs. Cope’s thin cheek and 
kissed it affectionately. “ He thinks it’s a jolly room. 
He likes it, Mrs. Cope, ever so much.” 

“ Well, he’d better,” was that lady’s firmly delivered 
reply, but when she marched through the kitchen 
again she volunteered a much gentler good-night to 
the guest, and a cordial one to the minister. 

“ I expect it’s a real treat for him to have a kind of 
an informal meal like that, bound round as he is with 
etiquette most of the time,” she said, explaining the 
situation to Miss Shaw on her return to her own do- 
main. “ But I shall drop a hint every time I see him, 
so he won’t get any patronizing notions in his head. 
What’s a railroad here and there, compared to a brain 
like our minister’s, and Felicia for a daughter, I’d like 
to know ? That boy appeared well enough, but I pre- 
sume he has foolish, lofty ideas, and I calculate to show 
him his place.” 

A few minutes later the boy who was to be shown 


An Unexpected Guest 131 

his place by Mrs. Cope stood looking at Felicia, who 
was buttoning on her long apron. 

“ May I help ? ” he asked. “ I’ve been camping, and 
we all took turns with the work. I’d like to help.” 

Felicia’s eyes turned to her father for advice. He 
smiled, and she took down another long apron from its 
hook. 

“ You must let me put this on for you,” she said to 
Gilbert. “ And after we’ve done the dishes you shall 
help make some peanut candy, if you like.” 

Gilbert stooped down and stroked Pedro’s back. 

“ You’re a clever dog, Pedro,” he said ; “ you did a 
good thing for me as well as for yourself when you 
jumped out of the automobile. Does that apron go 
around my neck, Felicia, or over my head, or how ? ” 


CHAPTER XIV 


CANDY AND PLANS 

While the two young people were talking and 
working merrily together in the kitchen, Mr. Lane had 
a call from Mr. Fosdick. The study door was left 
open, and Felicia waved her dish-mop in greeting to 
her old friend. 

“ This is Gilbert Faunce, to whom Pedro belongs,” 
explained the minister, and Mr. Fosdick bowed from 
the doorway. 

“ Set you to work right off, didn’t she ? ” he said in 
his dry voice that always made Felicia smile. 

The boy looked quickly at him, saw the lean, humor- 
ous face set with a pair of eyes which twinkled even 
through large spectacles, and liked Mr. Fosdick at 
once. 

“ I believe you’d do it yourself, sir, in a minute,” he 
said — “particularly if you’d been promised peanut 
candy at the end of your work.” 

“Now, Felicia, have I come too late?” asked Mr. 
Fosdick plaintively. “ Isn’t there some iron skillet or 
frying-pan I can put my hand to, so’s to secure a square 
or two of that candy ? I don’t like these close syndicates 
that shut out those who’ve always been ready and will 
ing.” 


132 


*33 


Candy and Plans 

“ Father, please keep Mr. Fosdick contented till the 
candy is ready to eat,” said Felicia demurely. “ I don’t 
believe he cares so very much about working, if he’s 
sure of the candy.” 

“ Why, Felicia,” said Mr. Fosdick, pulling down his 
spectacles and looking reproachfully at her over the 
rims. “ What have I ever done — well, well ! ” and 
shaking his head he retreated to the study fire and his 
comfortable chair. 

“ Good thing for that boy,” he said in a low tone, as 
the voices in the kitchen chattered on again. “ There, 
she’s begun to tell him about the library. Folks say 
his father’s worth way up in the millions,” and Mr. 
Fosdick’s eyes suddenly gleamed with interest. “ Sup- 
posing he should take a notion to foist the money for a 
library on us ? ” he suggested. “ Now, to my mind, 
that would spoil the whole thing.” 

“That won’t happen, I’m sure,” said Mr. Lane. 
“ Felicia’s plans are so dear to her, she will make Gilbert 
see them with her eyes. The boy himself, not his 
father, is the one I should like to have help us out ; he’s 
a lonely lad with too much money and too few inter- 
ests. It will be a good thing for him if he grows to 
think of Blackberry Hill as a pleasant, homelike 
place.” 

“ Has a kind of a scowl,” said Mr. Fosdick thought- 
fully, “ but that doesn’t always mean an ugly disposi- 
tion — may be just habit. Here, I want to read you 
my last letter from little Ben Kingman. I took it 


Felicia Visits 


*34 

down and read it out to that old aunt of his this after- 
noon ; she didn’t change her expression any more’n a 
stone wall all the time I’s there — but human beings 
aren’t built of the same material as stone walls, and 
she’s got some feeling hid away somewhere. I’m hop- 
ing she’ll write the boy a letter some day. That Slocum 
boy that Mr. Ledyard provided her with in place of Ben 
is something her own kind, and my opinion is they get 
on first-rate. They’re telling around town that he had 
a birthday last week, and she hove a pair o’ mittens at 
him for a present — it doesn’t hardly seem like her, but 
he’s wearing a new pair to the store, evenings, anyway. 
How you listen to what Mr. Ledyard’s been doing.” 

“ How much money have you raised for the library ? ” 
Gilbert was asking Felicia at that moment in a busi- 
nesslike voice, as they sat shelling peanuts into the big 
wooden chopping bowl. 

“ Money,” said Felicia, in some perplexity. “ Why, 
we haven’t begun to raise money yet, because Mrs. Har- 
gate — Winifred’s lady — has promised to give us one 
hundred dollars, and Mr. Silas Gregg has promised a 
hundred dollars too, and so it’s more important to get 
other things, you see.” 

“ I know Mrs. Hargate by sight,” said Gilbert with a 
short laugh ; “ she’s a rich woman ; a hundred dollars is 
an easy way for her to get off.” 

They were so engrossed with their talk that they did 
not realize there was a sudden silence in the other room. 
The minister half rose from his chair. 


Candy and Plans 135 

“ I can’t have that,” he said, but Mr. Fosdick laid a 
detaining hand on his arm. 

“ You trust that little girl of yours,” he said. “ Listen.” 

“ Oh, Gilbert ! ” cried Felicia, and the two men in the 
study knew just how she was looking at the boy. “ One 
hundred dollars is a great deal of money for us no mat- 
ter whether it is for her or not, though I don’t see how 
it could help seeming large to everybody. But she’s 
giving it because she’s interested, and wants to help us.” * 

“ I’ll give you two hundred,” said the boy. “ Father 
says I throw my allowance to the winds ; I might as 
well let your Blackberry Hill winds have some of it,” 
and he laughed again. “You don’t look as if you 
wanted it. What’s the matter ? ” y 

Felicia’s soft forehead was puckered as she looked 
across the chopping bowl at her guest. 

“ I don’t — I’d rather you’d come to see the library 
first, I think,” she said slowly. “ Perhaps then you 
could tell your father about it, and he would say it was 
not throwing your money to the winds — and perhaps 
you’d choose some books for the boys.” 

“ I wonder when you think my father would have 
time to listen to me,” said Gilbert. “ He doesn’t care 
what I do with my money.” 

“ Perhaps he would,” said Felicia hopefully. She 
hesitated, and then applied the same rule to her 'rich 
young guest with the assured manner which she always 
practiced with the Blackberry Hill boys. “ My father 
said you were a son a man might well be proud of, he 


136 


Felicia Visits 


knew,” and Felicia’s pink cheeks and shy little smile 
added much to the balm of her words. 

“ Oh, dad’s all right,” said the boy in a different tone, 
“ only he’s hardly ever home, and his mind is all on his 
railroads. What kind of boys are there here in Black- 
berry Hill?” 

“ Oh, they are fine boys, all of them,” said Felicia 
with enthusiasm. “ They have been so polite to Wini- 
fred and me at school, Gilbert. We are the only girls, 
you see, with seventeen boys, and of course we were a 
little in the way, at first. But Hate Horner, he’s the 
biggest and he has some remarkable talents, Miss Shaw 
(she’s our teacher) says — Hate Horner was on our side 
from the first, and then all the Hilliards and the 
French’s and the other boys followed him. Of course 
Bobby Simpson was my first friend from the very day 
I came, when he drove Mrs. Topham and me up the hill 
till we met father. Bobby has a beautiful voice and he 
knows almost everything about automobiles and ma- 
chines. And then there’s little Ben Kingman, whose 
aunt did not care much for him, and he’s gone to live 
with Mr. Ledyard in the city. Ben is a very particular 
friend of Winifred’s and mine. And then there’s Ca- 
rina Lotti ; Winifred and I both call her our best friend 
next to each other.” 

“ Tell me about her, if you don’t mind,” said the boy ; 
and Felicia, only too delighted with a new audience, 
began the story of Carina Lotti’s coming to Blackberry 
Hill, and the events which led to it. 


137 


Candy and Plans 

“ On safe ground now, you see,” whispered Mr. 
Fosdick. “ Supposing I keep this letter till they come 
in with the candy ; there are things in it ’twould do that 
boy good to hear.” 

So it happened that Gilbert Faunce heard the letter 
from little Ben in which he told of a small plan of his 
own for earning some money to give to the library — 
by working very hard at some problems in mathematics, 
Mr. Ledyard’s favorite study, but one for which little 
Ben had no liking. 

“ I’m [to have ten dollars when they are all done,” 
wrote Ben, “and it is to be in a check, Mr. Fosdick, 
with my own name on it, so I can send it in a letter, 
unless Mr. Ledyard happened to be going up to Black- 
berry Hill ; and he has promised to take me to the 
opening of the library.” 

“ It’s really all settled, about the location and so on,” 
Mr. Fosdick explained to Gilbert. “ We’ve had a kind 
of an informal meeting, and knowing the minds of all, 
shall go right ahead without waiting for the formali- 
ties of town meeting. You understand we have strict 
business methods,” he said, moving his spectacles down 
his nose, and gazing at Gilbert over them, “ but this 
appears to be a time for stretching them a mite.” 

“ Certainly, sir, I understand,” said the boy respect- 
fully, and Mr. Fosdick went on with the letter. 

“ There’s Hurley,” said Gilbert, when suddenly the 
honk of the automobile mingled with the last notes of 
“ Annie Laurie,” which Felicia had been persuaded to 


Felicia Visits 


138 

play, her fingers cold and shaky at the beginning, but 
growing warm and confident with the encouragement 
of her friends. “ I told him to come by half-past eight 
— but it doesn’t seem as if it could be that,” he said as 
he rose to go. “ May I take you home, sir ? ” he asked 
Mr. Fosdick. “ Or ” 

“ It’s ‘ or ’ this time, just as much obliged to you,” 
said Mr. Fosdick, shaking hands. “ See here, young 
man, why not call in on me, Henry Fosdick, living over 
the store by the same name, next time you come ? 
Then you could see the very pattern of our new library 
as to size and shape.” 

“ I’d like to, sir,” answered Gilbert. “ My father’s 
off on a long trip now and it’s — it’s lonelier than ever 
at home.” 

“ Shall we make it one week from date, wind and 
weather permitting?” said Mr. Fosdick, drawing a 
large note-book from his pocket, and selecting one of 
its many blank pages. “ Good. I like to use this 
book, for it was a present from a drummer who upset 
a sugar bucket, full of the best granulated, by trying 
to show me how high he could jump, uninvited. And I 
don’t have so many opportunities to make engagements 
as I might in some places. I’ll expect you then.” 

They all accompanied the boy to the door and sent a 
chorus of cheery “ good-nights ” after him as the big 
machine whirred down the road. 

“ That’s the best time I’ve had for — ever so long,” 
said Gilbert in a burst of confidence and good feeling 


>39 


Candy and Plans 

to the chauffeur who had been in his father’s employ for 
years. “ I’m afraid you’ve had a long, stupid wait for 
me, Hurley.” 

The chauffeur looked straight ahead. His broad 
smile was lost in the darkness, but the boy caught the 
cheerfulness of his tone. 

“ Ho, Mr. Gilbert,” he said ; u I didn’t feel it long. 
There was a party there by the name of Slocum — a 
big boy, works for a woman here, a Mrs. Kingman. 
He told stories of things that she says and does, and 
acted ’em out. Ho, Mr. Gilbert, it wasn’t what I could 
call dull — not for a minute.” 


CHAPTER XV 


MORE SURPRISES 

Felicia had two more delightful visiting days, one 
at Mrs. Cope’s, when she learned of an unsuspected 
talent possessed by her neighbor, and one with Mrs. 
Harlow at the station. Pedro went with her to visit the 
station-mistress, and had a most exciting time, bark- 
ing at the trains, and sniffing at the people who came 
to take them. Once he accompanied Mrs. Harlow into 
the little ticket office, and sat beside the telegraph- 
machine, beating his tail on the wooden ledge, when 
there came a “ tick-tick ” to which Mrs. Harlow 
responded. 

“ I think he’ll remember this day as long as he lives,” 
Felicia said when they started for home. “ As Mrs. 
Cope says, it has given him food for thought, though 1 
don’t know as she feels sure that Pedro thinks very 
much — at any rate she didn’t say that about him.” 

“I’ll warrant she didn’t,” laughed Mrs. Harlow. 
“ Are you going to take him over there for your day, 
Felicia, or leave him at home ? ” 

“ He’ll stay at home with Miss Loreena,” said Felicia. 
“ Mrs. Cope told me she thought ’twould be a good 
plan to let him get on without me once in a while, and 
140 


More Surprises 141 

I knew she thought the very best time to begin would 
be my visiting day.” 

“ You ask her to cut you out something from her 
black paper if you get a clear opportunity,” said Mrs. 
Harlow mysteriously as she kissed Felicia and gave 
Pedro a good-bye pat. “You see what she says.” 

There came what Felicia thought might fairly be 
considered a “ clear opportunity ” in the middle of the 
afternoon. She had played two little duets with Miss 
Shaw, and Mrs. Cope had expressed her appreciation 
of the performance. 

“ I wish I had some accomplishment I could exercise 
to entertain you,” she said, “ but my gifts are not such 
as can be showed off excepting in the summer, when 
the flowers are in bloom. There are those that have 
spoken of my talents along the line of gardening, 
though it doesn’t behoove me to say so, I presume.” 

“ But you have another accomplishment, too, Mrs. 
Cope, I know,” said Felicia eagerly ; “ I don’t know 
just what it is, but Mrs. Harlow told me to ask you to 
cut us something out of your black paper if a clear 
opportunity offered, and I thought this seemed a very 
clear one.” 

“ I want to know if she referred to that, after all 
these years,” said Mrs. Cope, and Felicia could see that 
she was much gratified. “She’s one that remembers 
as few do. Why, I don’t even know as I can lay my 
hand on that paper, called upon suddenly, like this; 
still I presume I may be able to, for I have a good 


142 


Felicia Visits 


bump of order — and system,” she added with meaning 
emphasis as she started up-stairs. 

“That was intended for me, Felicia,” whispered 
Miss Shaw as the energetic footsteps reached the floor 
above ; “ I’m afraid I am a dreadful trial to poor Mrs. 
Cope, between my bureau drawers and my desk.” 

“ She thinks everything of you ; she told me so only 
the other day,” whispered Felicia. “ She told me she 
felt it a privilege to harbor you under her roof.” 

“ Thank you,” said Miss Shaw. “ I was feeling a 
little discouraged, but you’ve cheered me greatly, 
Felicia.” 

They were laughing softly when they heard the 
brisk tread descending again, and in a moment Mrs. 
Cope appeared with a roll of black paper and some 
stiff cardboard. 

She took a pair of sharply-pointed scissors from a 
box and seated herself at the table. 

“ Felicia, you go sit over there by the window with 
your face turned sidewise,” she commanded. “Keep 
your chin pretty well up, but don’t purse your lips, nor 
take on a stiff look. That’s good ; now you sit just 
about so for a few minutes.” 

There was a sound of snipping for two or three 
minutes, and then an exclamation from Miss Shaw. 

“ Why, Mrs. Cope ! ” she cried, “ that is splendid ! 
Anybody would know that is Felicia. How did you 
ever learn ? ” 

“I could do better next time,” said Mrs. Cope. 


More Surprises 143 

“You may turn around now, Felicia, and see your 
likeness. I’ll lay it against that piece of white card- 
board. There, what do you think of yourself ? ” 

“ It looks like my shadow,” wondered Felicia ; “ did 
you just snip it out with the scissors, Mrs. Cope ? I 
think that is a more remarkable accomplishment than 
almost any I ever saw.” 

“ It’s only a little trick of handling the scissors and 
catching the features against the light,” said Mrs. 
Cope, striving hard to be humble. “I presume there 
are many that can do it, but I’ve never heard of any in 
Blackberry Hill. When a girl, I learned how from a 
man that was traveling through the country. He said 
I had an unusually quick eye — but there, he probably 
praised me up so’s to make me feel I was getting my 
money’s worth ; I recollect it cost me two dollars for 
the lessons. That is called a silhouette, Felicia. I’ll 
mount it on a card for your father, since you both ap- 
pear to think it’s a fair likeness. How, Miss Shaw, you 
step over to Felicia’s seat, please.” 

That time Felicia watched the scissors as Mrs. Cope 
held the black paper in one hand and cut rapidly with 
the other. 

“It’s just exactly like Miss Shaw!” she said de- 
lightedly when the portrait was finished. “ Oh, Mrs. 
Cope, shall you send that to her brother ? ” 

“ Ho, I shall make a present of it to you,” said Mrs. 
Cope decidedly, “ for I’ve been intending to make you 
some little gift when I hit upon just the right thing, 


144 Felicia Visits 

and here ’tis.” She looked at Felicia for a moment 
and then laughed. 

“ If you’ll feel any happier I’ll cut one exactly like 
it for Winifred,” she said, and Felicia’s delighted face 
showed her she had hit upon the very thing the little 
girl had secretly desired. 

“ I did a whole set of these faces for the girls and 
boys in my school-days,” she said as she mounted the 
three silhouettes on the stiff cardboard with the aid of 
some flour paste, and then placed them in a row on the 
mantel. “ I don’t suppose there’s one of them to be 
found anywhere now. That’s what comes of living 
on ; time passes and treasures are thrown right on to 
the dump heap, or cast into the stove.” 

She looked so melancholy over the picture she had 
conjured, that Felicia hastily offered a suggestion 
which had popped into her mind a moment earlier. 

“ When Mrs. Markham has the sale, couldn’t you sit 
in a little booth near a window and cut people’s pic- 
tures, and get ever so much money for the library ? ” 
she asked, and then was almost frightened at her dar- 
ing. 

“Well, of all things, Felicia Lane!” began her 
neighbor sternly. Then she hesitated, gazed at the 
row of silhouettes, and smiled as she gazed, until at 
last she turned a pleasant face to her little guest. 

“ There’s some in this town whose features I’d like 
to catch, just to let them see what they’ve grown to 
look like,” she said. “I believe I’ll do it, Felicia. 


More Surprises 145 

You can give out that I intend to, if you wish. I’d be 
willing to do that Kingman woman’s for nothing but 
the pleasure of cutting out her mouth and chin. But 
there! I don’t suppose she’d come nigh me, or the 
sale, for that matter.” 

“ Maybe she would if that Slocum boy wanted her 
to go,” said Felicia. “Mr. Fosdick thinks she likes 
him pretty well.” 

“ Speaking of boys,” said Mrs. Cope, “ I’ve invited a 
few of your friends here for the evening, about — I 
suppose I might as well own up, every boy in town is 
invited, and Henry Fosdick, who seems to feel as 
young as any of ’em ; so now we’ll set to and make the 
candy for them to eat. I guess it’ll take us all our 
spare time.” 

When the boys filed into the house that evening they 
all seemed rather excited. Kate Horner was carrying 
a large flat parcel which he gave to Mrs. Cope. Sev- 
eral times during the evening Felicia heard one of the 
smaller boys say to Kate imploringly in what was 
meant for a whisper, “ Aren’t you going to give it to 
him, Kate? Say, aren’t you going to give it to 
him ? ” 

Kate endeavored to appear perfectly at ease, but 
when the candy had been eaten, and a number of 
games played, conversation languished and the eyes of 
every other boy were fixed on Kate. Then at last 
Mrs. Cope handed him the flat parcel and he rose and 
walked across the room to Mr. Lane who was then 


Felicia Visits 


146 

standing behind Felicia, who was finishing a puzzle over 
which she and little Ted Hilliard had been working. 

“ Here — here’s something I did for your fireplace — 
under the mantel it’s to go, if you like it,” stammered 
Hate huskily, as he thrust the parcel into Mr. Lane’s 
hand, and retreated while the boys clapped long and 
loud. “And it’s for Felicia, too,” added Hate from 
the safe harbor of his seat across the width of the room, 
at which there was more applause. 

“ Why, Hate, what a beautiful thing you have done 
for us,” said Mr. Lane when the parcel was opened, and 
Felicia gave a breathless exclamation of pleasure. 
“Won’t you all come over to the parsonage now, and 
we’ll put it in place to-night ? ” 

It was no sooner said than done. Even Mrs. Cope 
wrapped herself in a heavy shawl, and joined the pro- 
cession that straggled down the road and in at the par- 
sonage gate. A few minutes hammering, and Hate’s 
gift was in its place. In crimson, blue and gold on a 
bronzed wood background, the Fireplace Motto shone 
out. Mr. Lane read it slowly aloud : 


“ ‘ Now Love makes camp, and those who gather here 
Of hurtful things have neither thought nor fear ; 
Dull care is gone, and malice backward turns, 
Seared by the glory where the fire-wood burns. * 


“ That is a fine motto, and I see there are some in- 
itials below it. Whose are they, Hate ? ” 


More Surprises 147 

“ S. T. Livingstone,” said Nate. “ I saw it in a book 
and I liked it — and what it said about malice would be 
right for any place where you and Felicia lived,” he 
added, crimson but determined. “ Isn’t that so, boys ? ” 
And that time the applause was so long and loud 
that at last Mrs. Cope, putting her fingers in her ears, 
begged for mercy, while the minister and Felicia, hand 
in hand, bowed again and again, first to Nate, then to 
the boys, then to Nate, until the party broke up in a 
gale of merriment. The guests dispersed, the minister 
and Felicia went to bed, and the Fireplace Motto was 
left to shine on in the darkening room until, with the 
last flicker from the apple wood, that too disappeared. 


CHAPTER XVI 


A KITCHEN CONFERENCE 

The next morning Felicia and Miss Loreena Parks 
were talking and working together in the parsonage 
kitchen, while Pedro visited the minister in his study, 
and Martin watched the road and the neighbor path 
from his cage hung in the sunny window. 

It was one of the mornings when, as Miss Loreena 
said, “ her hearing seemed to take a turn for the bet- 
ter ; ” the fact that these “ turns ” came farther and 
farther apart as time went on, did not particularly dis- 
turb Miss Parks, now that she had the little “ invention 
for the ear,” which was her Christmas gift from Mr. 
Ledyard. But when she was busy in the kitchen, it 
was certainly convenient not to be obliged to use any 
invention, no matter how small it might be. 

“ I wish I could think of more things to do — more 
ways to earn money for the new library,” said Felicia, 
speaking slowly and distinctly so that Miss Parks need 
not lose a word. “ Everybody but me seems to have 
some special talent, Miss Loreena. If we have a cake 
and candy table at the fair, of course I could make a 
good many things for that.” 

“ ‘ If we have a cake and candy table,’ ” echoed Miss 
Loreena. “Why, Felicia, what do you suppose boys 
148 


A Kitchen Conference 149 

go to a fair for, excepting to buy sweet stuff ? Didn’t 
I hear Nate Horner telling that a whole possy of his 
cousins will be here next summer, when we have that 
fair? And don’t you calculate that new friend of 
yours — that Faunce boy — will fetch over a lot of rich 
young folks, or pass the word around so they’ll come ? 
All they want nowadays is to be going somewhere, 
’tisn’t much matter where ; and did you ever see a boy 
at a fair that wasn’t munching something ? Don’t you 
recall them at the county fair last fall, spilling crumbs 
everywhere ? I guess there’ll be a call for full as much 
as you can cook.” 

“ I’ve thought of ever so many different kinds of 
cakes I can make,” said Felicia ; she shut her eyes and 
squeezed the lids tight, while she held a pan of cookies 
ready for the oven with both hands, as she talked. 

“ Winifred wrote me that she had fifty cents to spend 
for a present for me — think of that, Miss Loreena ! ” 
said Felicia. “And she’s kept writing me things to 
choose from, and they all sounded so lovely I couldn’t. 
But last night I saw something in a magazine. Oh, 
you could do all sorts of things with it,” and she opened 
her eyes and looked down at the cookies as if she saw 
not little rounds of gingerbread, but wonderful things 
instead. 

“ There are little tin tubes, Miss Loreena,” she said, 
still looking down at the ginger cookies; “different 
shapes and sizes they are, and you press frosting or 
pastry, or candy, or fruits, very carefully through these 


150 


Felicia Visits 


tubes, and they come out roses, or leaves, or nests, or 
little hearts piled one on top of another, or — oh, ever 
so many things ! ” 

“ I want to know if that’s the way they do those 
fancy ornamentations,” said Miss Parks. “ I was in 
the city once for a week, and in a baker’s window, 
near where I was stopping, there was a great cake or- 
namented with a wreath of roses all done in pink frost- 
ing, and you couldn’t see how they began nor where 
they ended. I went in and spoke with the man one 
day and asked him how ’twas done, but he didn’t ap- 
pear real bright to me. I bought half a dozen buns of 
him, so’s to gloss over my questions, but they were 
such poor truck I fed ’em to some pigeons I met on the 
curbstone. And a day or two after I went in and 
asked the woman, but she didn’t take any interest be- 
yond telling me she didn’t make the cake nor yet its 
trimmings. 

“ I told her I should think she’d like to know how 
what she was selling had been made, but then she 
spoke up real saucy and said if I thought of buying 
the cake perhaps she could find out ! So I bought a 
few seed cookies and came away. They tasted so 
queer I didn’t even feed them to the pigeons ; I 
crumbled ’em up and put them in one o’ those rubbish 
barrels that stand ’round in the city. Some folks don’t 
like pigeons, but I haven’t anything against ’em, really.” 

“ Probably that was an old, dry cake,” said Felicia, 
laughing. “ Mrs. Desmazes had told me a little about 


A Kitchen Conference 151 

the tubes before, but in this magazine there were pic- 
tures of them, and it told where they could be bought 
for twenty-five cents apiece ; so I’ve written Winifred 
that if I could have a rose tube and one other, I’d be 
perfectly delighted. Think of a pink peppermint rose, 
Miss Loreena, on top of a goldy cake with a wreath of 
frosting leaves on it ! Wouldn’t anybody like that for 
a birthday cake ? ” asked Felicia as she bore the pan of 
cookies to the oven. 

“ If you have such things as that on the table,” said 
Miss Loreena solemnly, “there’ll be trouble amongst 
those that come to the fair. They’d be liable to move 
their birthdays backward or forward so’s to make 
such a cake as that come in just right.” 

Felicia put the pan in the oven and shut the door 
on it. 

“ Oh, Miss Loreena, I have another splendid idea ! ” 
she said. “ If anybody — any of the rich people — 
wanted a cake like that — couldn’t they tell me, and 
couldn’t I make it for them ? ” 

“Well, now, you do beat all, Felicia,” said Miss 
Parks. “ Of course — seems as if — why certain — I 
don’t see ” 

“ Good-morning ! ” called Martin. “ How d’y’ do ? 
how d’y’ do ? ” 

Felicia and Miss Parks turned to look out of the 
window, and saw Miss Shaw coming across the neigh- 
bor path, waving her hand to Martin. 

“ May I come in ? ” she asked gaily, as Felicia opened 


152 


Felicia Visits 


the kitchen door and gave her a cordial greeting. “ I 
have great plans in my head — plans that have nothing 
to do with ginger cookies or polishing kettles,” and she 
looked mischievously from the dough spread thin on 
the rolling-board to the row of articles at the farther 
end of the table where sat Miss Parks with a cloth in 
her hand, shaking a bottle of red-brown liquid back 
and forth with great energy. 

Felicia put out her hand and drew Miss Shaw into 
the kitchen. 

“Miss Loreena and I are not talking about these 
things we’re doing,” she said ; “ we are talking about 
the fair — the one we mean to have for the library. 
Please take off your hat, so the back of the rocking- 
chair won’t push it way down over your nose — that’s 
what it did to Miss Ellen Markham’s one day last 
week. There ! Aren’t you comfortable ? And when 
the first batch of cookies comes out of the oven you 
shall have a plateful — hot ! ” 

“ I came at just the right time, I can see that,” said 
Miss Shaw as she leaned back in the old rocking-chair. 

“ Now when you’re ready to hear my plans I shall be 
delighted to tell them.” 

“We’re all ready this minute, aren’t we, Miss. 
Loreena?” asked Felicia. “We had been talking 
about a cake and candy table because I thought that 
would give me a chance to do something to help out 
the fair. I can cook so much better than I can sew, 
except very plain sewing.” 


A Kitchen Conference 153 

“There will be some very plain sewing needed to 
help out with my plan,” said Miss Shaw ; “ exactly the 
kind of sewing you and Winifred can both do ; but 
the principal thing is, it is a plan that will include the 
boys.” 

“ Oh, that will be splendid,” said Felicia. “ Because 
there’s Bobby Simpson, and there are the Hilliards, 
too, who never have a great deal of money to spend, 
and yet they are just as interested as they can be. 
Ned says he will pick wild strawberries for anybody 
in town who wants them, and give all the money he 
earns to the library — but his father told my father he 
didn’t believe there were more than ten quarts to be 
had this side of Old Baldy — and that would be pretty 
discouraging.” 

“ Can’t expect all sorts of berries to be set right 
down in one favored spot,” said Miss Loreena briskly. 
“ Folks blessed as we be with blackberries ought not 
to expect much else in the berry line. What’s your 
idea, Miss Shaw ? ” 

“ It’s to have a Chinese laundry,” said Miss Shaw 
slowly, watching the effect of her words, “ with some 
one of the housekeepers of Blackberry Hill to manage 
it, behind the scenes, and the boys, dressed as laundry- 
men, to sell the packages of goods — supposed to 
have been washed and ironed by them — to the cus- 
tomers.” 

Felicia clapped her hands, dropping the cooky cutter 
which danced over the dough, making impressions on 


*54 


Felicia Visits 


its own account. Miss Loreena gazed at Miss Shaw 
with undisguised admiration. 

“ How in the world did you ever think of that ? ” she 
asked. 

The young teacher laughed, and Martin from his 
perch screamed, “ Be-yu-tiful ! be-yu-tiful ! Best of 
luck ! ” 

“ Thank you, Martin,” said Miss Shaw. “ I didn’t in- 
vent it, Miss Loreena. My aunt wrote me of a fair she 
has lately attended, at which the young men had a laun- 
dry booth, and I thought at once of our boys. She did 
not write me particulars, but I’ve no doubt our brains 
would be equal to thinking up a good many of the 
details, and I will write her soon, asking her to tell me 
more about it.” 

“ If the door were taken off its hinges — the door at 
the right of the platform in town hall,” said Felicia, 
“ there would be the room, where the Fourth of July 
speakers leave their hats and coats, all ready to turn 
into a laundry. Mr. Saunders would let us have some 
broad, long boards from his sawmill, I know, and we 
could put them on sawhorses — and there would be the 
counter ! ” 

“ There ! ” said Miss Parks, “ hear that ! I missed a 
word here and there, Felicia, on account of your reeling 
it off so rapid, but I got the main points. How if Mrs. 
Topham or Mrs. Cope could be put in charge of such an 
enterprise, ’twould be complete. But there, I suppose 
they’ll have their hands full with the other tables. Of 


A Kitchen Conference 155 

course there’s only a kind of rough plan laid out, so far, 
but I understand they conduct the cake and candy table 
and the luncheon that’s to be served to all who are will- 
ing to pay twenty cents. That’ll give them about all 
they can manage. Then there’s the Markham family 
and Mrs. Hilliard, they’ll take charge of the fancy arti- 
cles, I suppose, same as always, and Mrs. French and 
Mrs. Horner’ll take turns door-keeping, because they 
can make change faster than most, and it keeps ’em off 
their feet. Of course there are other folks, but I can’t 
seem to think just now who’d be the one, long as you’ve 
said you’ll be a waitress, Miss Shaw. But there ! it 
doesn’t fall to me to decide ! ” and Miss Parks ended 
with a laugh at her own perplexity. 

Miss Shaw looked at Felicia and then smiled at Miss 
Loreena’s head bent over the kettle whose fat sides she 
was rubbing. 

“ I mentioned it to Mrs. Cope before I came over,” 
said Miss Shaw, rocking comfortably, “ and she said, ‘ If 
you can get Loreena Parks to take hold of the idea, and 
carry it through, it will be a success, I’ll warrant.’ 
Yes, those were her very words, Miss Loreena. You 
know the boys all like you, and they’d do anything for 
you.” ' 

“Well, I never ! ” cried Miss Parks. “Supposing my 
hearing gave right out ? But there, ’tisn’t apt to in sum- 
mer. But suppose ’twas a cold, rainy day ? But there, if 
’twas a storm the fair would be held over till next day, 
and I wouldn’t have to appear. I could be behind the 


Felicia Visits 


156 

curt’in with my head done up, if need be, and I know 
just how to braid jute pigtails for those boys. Well, I 
don’t know but I might — I never have been at the head 
of anything in a fair — but that’s no real reason, I 
s’pose. On the whole, I kind of take to the notion, 
though it scares me, too. Mercy me ! I’ve poured so 
much stuff on this kettle, I don’t know as I can ever 
work it in ! ” 

They all laughed over Miss Loreena’s dismay, and then 
while she rubbed with all her might and main, they dis- 
cussed the laundry booth, growing more and more in- 
terested as its possibilities opened out before them. 
Miss Parks remembered a great roll of old blue stuff 
which was in a trunk in her little house, and which 
would be just the thing to make blouses for the young 
laundrymen. 

“ ’Twas a cousin of mine gave it to me, years ago,” 
said Miss Parks. “ She said she bought it at a ‘ fire and 
water mark down,’ from one of their big city stores. 
And she fetched it along up to me thinking ’twould do 
me for furniture covers, sweeping days, she said. She 
was one that liked to make a useful gift without taking 
too much out of her pocket, and ’twas her first visit to me. 

“ When she saw my old wooden chairs, and that I 
didn’t have a single upholstered piece excepting the hair- 
cloth lounge,” said Miss Loreena with a reminiscent 
smile, “ she was quite put out, but I told her ’twould 
come in handy some day, and here’s the day. I’ll have 
that out of the trunk this very afternoon, and wash and 


A Kitchen Conference 157 

iron it when ’tis well aired. I saw a Chinee once, and 
his jacket was faded three, four colors, and he was doing 
a good business, too.” 

“ What would be in the packages that were supposed 
to be laundry bundles ? ” asked Felicia, as she handed 
Miss Shaw a plate of cookies, piping hot from the oven. 

“ Squares of cheese-cloth for dusters, to look like 
handkerchiefs, for one thing.” 

“ Ura-hm,” said Miss Parks. “ And toweling — dish- 
towels, roller-towels, glass-towels, scrubbing cloths — 
and see here — do you s’pose any of my soap would sell 
to the city folks ? It’s real white, and piled up, block 
house fashion ; ’twould be kind of pretty-looking, too. 
And there’s nothing to excel it for removing dirt 
without destroying the garment, if I do say so ; ’tis a 
recipe that’s been handed down in our family, and 
kept sort of private. I’ve had spells of thinking I 
wouldn’t ever putter with it again, but then I’d invest 
in the highest-recommended that Henry Fosdick had 
to offer, and give it a fair trial, and then I’d look at 
the results — unprejudiced — and then I’d set right to and 
make me up a good batch of my old Worthy Soap. 
But of course I shouldn’t want to seem forth-putting 
with it.” 

“ There’s no danger of your ever being thought forth- 
putting, Miss Loreena,” said the young teacher heartily, 
and Miss Parks shook the bottle of polish harder than 
ever and applied her cloth to its neck and then to the 
kettle for the third time. 


Felicia Visits 


*58 

“ Oh, Miss Loreena, you’ll scour that poor thing to 
pieces ! ” laughed Felicia, and after a dazed look at the 
object of the little girl’s solicitude, Miss Parks took a 
dry cloth and began to remove the last application of 
the liquid, which was running down its sides. 

“ You see I’ve kept out of all such events as this fair, 
excepting to be in the background, washing dishes,” she 
said, apologetically, “ and it’s kind of exciting. Then 
you think ’twould be all right to have that soap, Miss 
Shaw and Felicia ? ” 

“ Indeed we do,” said the two young judges in 
concert. 

“ And there’s another thing I’ve just thought of,” 
said Felicia eagerly. “Mr. Desmazes and Bobby have 
invented — why, here’s Bobby this minute ! ” 

Sure enough, around the corner of the house and up 
to the kitchen door came Bobby, his cheeks rosy and a 
smile on his face. In his hands he carried a large paper 
bag, the top of it gathered and tied with a string, the 
bottom of it extended almost to the point of bursting. 

There was a chorus of greetings to which Bobby 
responded, as Felicia opened the door, and he stepped 
into the kitchen. 

“ I mustn’t stop,” he said, “ but you take this bag, 
Felicia. Mrs. Topham and Mrs. Desmazes sent it to 
you. It’s a new kind of cream-cakes they’ve made, 
and they were terribly afraid I’d let the bag drop, or 
tip over, or get squashed some way, before I delivered 
it. I set it in a tin pail, and kept the pail between my 


A Kitchen Conference 159 

feet all the way here. Do open it and see if they’re 
all right, before I go. Mrs. Topham said she’d like you 
and the minister each to take a taste and express an 
opinion while I’m here, and there are plenty for the 
others, too.” 

Felicia ran to the study door, and opening it a crack, 
she breathlessly made the situation clear to the minister, 
who speedily appeared, announcing that he was quite 
ready for a light luncheon. Felicia untied the string 
and took from the bag eight cream-cakes, light as 
feathers, of a most appetizing golden brown. From 
the cupboard she brought out five saucers, and when a 
cream-cake had been placed in each saucer, and the 
company were served, Felicia counted, “ One, two, 
three ! ” and each person took a bite. There were mur- 
murs of approbation, but the cream-cakes were not 
large, and lest any of the cream be lost, they were 
quite finished before any articulate comments were 
made. 

Bobby, who had tasted these delights before, beamed 
on the company. 

“ Aren’t they good ? ” he asked. 

“ Delicious,” said the minister. 

“ I never tasted any others that were to be compared 
with them,” said Miss Shaw. 

“ They are ever and ever so much better than any- 
body else could make,” said Felicia with conviction. 

Miss Parks ate the last crumb of hers and took her 
saucer to the table before she spoke. 


j6o 


Felicia Visits 


“ I’ve always said there was nothing to cream-cakes 
but just gape and swallow,” she announced as she set 
down the saucer, and smacked her lips softly but un- 
deniably. “ But besides that, there’s a kind of a linger- 
ing taste to these Topham and Desmazes cream-cakes, 
— if anybody asks my opinion, you can say right out 
plumb that I mentioned they couldn’t be beaten, nor 
yet come up to, let the King of England himself set to 
work at ’em.” 

“ Oh, Bobby, we do want to tell you a little of what 
we’ve been talking about,” begged Felicia as Bobby 
moved toward the door, his eyes still gleaming over 
Miss Loreena’s praise of the cream-cakes. “ I suppose 
you must go, but it’s Miss Shaw’s idea, and it’s for you 
boys to help at the fair, and oh, Bobby, couldn’t you 
make two of those adjustable ironing-boards for us — for 
it — to use that day ? ” 

Bobby looked bewildered, but Miss Shaw took pity 
on him and explained a little of her plan, to which the 
minister gave hearty approval, and which made Bobby’s 
eyes open even wider than usual. 

“ I think it would be fun,” he said soberly at last. 
“We could make the ironing-boards all right, and Mr. 
Ledyard would get us one of those little stoves, I know, 
so we could have two or three irons to press out things. 
And ” — Bobby hesitated, “ I learned a couple of Chinese 
songs from a Chinaman once when I was off on my 
vacation,” he said, “and I could teach them to the 
other boys, so we could hum them or sing them while 


A Kitchen Conference 161 

we were working — if you thought it would be a good 
idea.” 

“ Capital ! ” said Mr. Lane, to whom Bobby’s eyes 
had turned. “ Your music comes in everywhere,” he 
added laying his hand on the boy’s arm; “ I don’t 
know what we should do without you, Bobby.” 

“Well, if here doesn’t come Henry Fosdick! ” said 
Miss Parks, as they heard Bobby’s “ good-morning ” to 
some one as he went back to his horse, and the man 
came around the corner. “ This is a regular reception 
morning.” 

“ I just happened by, after taking a barrel o’ flour to 
the Markhams’,” said Mr. Fosdick, “ and I wanted to 
ask, Felicia, if you had the time to spare to step along 
up the road to my place this afternoon. There’s a little 
matter I’d like to talk over with you previous to men- 
tioning it to any other parties — no offense being intended 
or slights served to any of the company present,” he 
added with a wave of his hand and a low bow. “ I’m 
expecting to take them all into my confidence before 
long,” and he bowed again. 

“ Certainly,” said the minister, smiling over Felicia’s 
head at Mr. Fosdick ; “ she’ll be delighted to go, and 
she can be spared as well as not, can’t she, Miss 
Parks ? ” 

“ Nothing for her to do but fold her hands, if she 
stays ’round here,” said Miss Loreena briskly. 

“ Then I’ll expect you about three o’clock,” said Mr. 
Fosdick, “and if you’ve got a good pair of scissors 


162 


Felicia Visits 


that’ll really cut, Felicia, you might bring them along. 
Good-morning, all.” 

“ Scissors ! ” echoed Miss Parks. “ Now what do 
you suppose he wants of scissors ? There, now, I can’t 
waste any time supposing. Mr. Lane, aren’t you ’most 
afraid you’ll lose the thread o’ your writing ? Felicia, 
don’t you want to go play a little on the instrument, 
duets or something, you and Miss Shaw ? This 
kitchen looks like the end o’ circus day ! ” 


CHAPTER XVII 


A PKIVATE EXHIBITION 

At quarter before three o’clock, Felicia, feeling quite 
important, said good-bye to her father, Miss Parks, 
Pedro and Martin, and with her work-bag on her arm, 
set out for Mr. Fosdick’s. 

“ I should like to take you with me, Pedro,” she said 
in response to pleading eyes and clingingpaws, “ but you 
see I don’t know, as Mrs. Cope often says, what I may 
be called upon to do — and you might be just the least 
little bit of hindrance — though you are a perfect dar- 
ling, and I love you,” she added, fearing that Pedro 
might feel hurt at her words. “ But you know there 
are places where I’d be a hindrance, Pedro ; they never 
would ask me to a church committee meeting, for in- 
stance. There ! I knew that would make you feel 
better. You be just as nice to Miss Loreena as you 
can, and talk to Martin a little, and when I come home, 
I’ll take you for a run. Good-bye.” 

As Felicia passed Mrs. Cope’s gate, she saw the figure 
of their neighbor stooping over some twigs which 
stood up through the snow in one of the beds that 
bordered her front path. Her hands were on the dry 
twigs, but her head was turned over her shoulder, and 
163 


164 Felicia Visits 

she straightened her back as Felicia came on a line 
with her. 

“ I see you have your work-bag,” she said. “ Haven’t 
you the least idea what you’re going to do at Henry 
Fosdick’s this afternoon, Felicia? Ho? Well, seems 
to me strange he should select a child like you instead 
of an older person with experience if it’s anything 
really important. Seems as if it must be, too, con- 
sidering how few days ’tis since you were there spend- 
ing the better part of the morning and a whole after- 
noon and some o’ the evening with him.” 

“Oh, it’s probably just fun, Mrs. Cope,” said the 
little girl ; “ because he knows how much I like to go 
there, and he thought I’d enjoy another little visit, and 
there had to be some reason ; perhaps he wants a new 
table-cover or something like that, and he told me be- 
fore that his scissors weren’t all he could wish.” 

“That may be so,” admitted Mrs. Cope, slightly 
mollified ; and she smiled at Felicia after a minute, and 
told her to “ run along or she’d be late to her appoint- 
ment.” 

When Felicia reached the shop, Mr. Fosdick was 
standing in the doorway, looking up and down the 
road, impartially, as if he thought Felicia might be as 
likely to come from one direction as the other. In his 
hands he was twirling a large key. 

“ Here you are,” he said joyfully as he caught sight 
of Felicia, who could not help thinking he had been 
looking the other way on purpose for several minutes. 


A Private Exhibition 165 

“And I’m glad to see that bag. We have great busi- 
ness on hand for this afternoon. Get past the Widow 
Cope without any hold-up ? She’s been up here since 
dinner, buying some black pepper — ’tisn’t more’n a 
month since I sold her a box of it. She had her quiver 
full o’ questions, but I can’t say she looked real satisfied 
when she went off. I like Lyddy Cope first-rate nowa- 
days, but she needs a mite more patience mixed in with 
her other traits, and when I see my way clear to help 
her exercise it, I do it, now and again. I judge by your 
face she was on hand when you went by.” 

Felicia laughed in spite of herself. 

“ Yes,” she said, “ but I couldn’t tell her anything, 
because I didn’t know anything, Mr. Fosdick.” 

“ The best of reasons,” said the storekeeper, “ but 
one that folks don’t always hold to, I notice. Now 
I’ll tell you what we’re up to, you and I.” 

He paused and looked behind him into the little shop. 

“ You go on measuring that rice, and all that stuff 
in the lower row of jars, and jot down the results on 
that slip of paper I gave you,” he called to the boy, 
who was gazing in open-mouthed interest at Felicia 
and his employer ; “ and you want to bear in mind 
that two eyes aren’t any too many to use in such 
work as I’ve cut out for you, and your hands will ac- 
complish considerable more in less time if you let your 
intellect rest on what you’re supposed to be doing, 
once in a while. It’s mostly up-hill work training 
him,” remarked Mr. Fosdick in a low tone as he turned 


i66 


Felicia Visits 


back to Felicia, “ but he means well. When he gets 
the last jar emptied he’ll find a little package o’ pep- 
permint lozenges at the bottom of it marked with his 
name. I hid it there a-purpose ; if he had his way 
he’d be eating lozenges the whole enduring time.” 

He smiled down at Felicia, and swung the key 
toward her. 

“ Guess what that opens,” he said gaily. “ Place 
you’ve never been in.” 

Felicia looked at the key, which was old and clumsy 
in shape. 

“ Hot the door to the room that’s to be the new 
library, is it ? Oh, Mr. Fosdick, I thought we had to 
wait till after the town meeting before we could really 
have it ! ” said Felicia. 

“That would be the custom ordinarily,” said Mr. 
Fosdick, in a judicial tone, u but exception has been 
made in the present case, considering the whole town 
to a man is going to vote one way, and everybody 
knows it. And, as a body, the selectmen decided 
that you should have a kind of a private view, same 
as you read about their having in the city when there’s 
an exhibition of pictures or such work, before the 
public is admitted — and they’ve authorized me to con- 
duct you to and over the premises.” 

“ Oh, how splendid ! ” said Felicia. “ Is it always 
locked, Mr. Fosdick ? ” 

“ Never has been till since this enterprise was started,” 
said her friend as they crossed from the steps of the 


A Private Exhibition 167 

grocery to those of the post-office. “Nobody ever 
went up there, seeing ’twas dark as a pocket, and filled 
with useless truck ; but soon as there was talk of the 
library we shut it up with a bar and locked it. It’s 
well we did it, too, or those stairs that lead up to it 
from the ground floor, same as mine, would have 
broken down under the tramping before this, if some 
of the boys hadn’t tried the door and found ’twas 
locked, and nobody seemed to recollect just where the 
key was. Mind that lower step, Felicia; we’ll have 
to expend a little something on a new flight of stairs, 
I reckon.” 

Felicia had never felt so important before in all her 
life, as when, after sliding back the wooden bar, Mr. 
Fosdick put the key in the lock and told her to turn it 
and open the door. It turned so hard that it took 
both Felicia’s hands to move it, but when that was 
done, the heavy old door swung open into the long 
room and Felicia stepped over the threshold, followed 
by Mr. Fosdick. He took the key from the outside 
of the door, and locked it from the inside, leaving the 
old room almost as dark as if it were night. 

“ Stand still till I strike a light,” he said, and in a 
moment he had lighted a candle which was on a table 
near the door. “ See the reason I wanted you to bring 
your sharp scissors? I’m authorized to take down 
those old window-shades and let the sun in, quick as can 
be ; and the rolling gear’s rusted, so the best we can 
do is to cut the curtains off, clear at the top, till we 


i68 


Felicia Visits 


can get an expert of some sort to try his hand on the 
machinery. I brought a pair o’ steps up here the 
other day, and tried my shears. I found they’d cut 
the stuff, but — what you laughing at ? ” 

“Mr. Fosdick,” said Felicia, “I know what it is — 
you just thought it would be fun for me to say that 
my scissors cut down the curtains ! That was it, 
wasn’t it?” 

“ Well,” said her friend as he put the steps under one 
of the windows, tried the hinge to make sure it would 
hold, and then began to mount, “I recollected that 
when I was a boy and father had a present of some 
extra fine oranges once, he said to me, 4 Henry, how 
about your new clasp knife cutting the first of these, 
to give it an extra good taste ? f Father and I were 
all there was of our family then, and he used to humor 
me in such ways as that.” 

Mr. Fosdick paused on the top step, and looked down 
at Felicia. 

44 ’ Twasn’t overly sharp, that knife of mine,” he 
said ; 44 I’d used it for ’most everything a knife isn’t meant 
for, I suspect, trying it, the two days I’d had it. 
Father had to make quite a considerable effort to get 
through the orange skin, I suspect. But he halved it 
at last, and we ate it, sitting side by side on our old 
door-stone. I wonder where I’d have to go to find 
another such orange. There ! Hand me up your 
scissors, little girl, and let me get to work.” 

Snip ! Snip ! went the scissors, and off from the 


A Private Exhibition 


169 

wooden roller, which creaked dolefully under the strain, 
came the old yellow shades, one after another, till all 
the windows were left free, the sun turning their little 
panes into shining squares. It was a corner room, as 
Mr. Fosdick had said, and there were windows on 
three sides, six windows in all. 

“ That broad, low one would be a splendid place to 
have a window-seat, wouldn’t it, Mr. Fosdick ? ” 
asked Felicia, looking about the room delightedly. 
“ Two people could sit and read, and look out at the 
trees and the meadow.” 

“So they could,” assented Mr. Fosdick. “I sup- 
pose you mean two boys like Nate Horner and Ned 
Hilliard, say. Were they the ones you had in mind ? ” 

Felicia’s face was a^erspread with a rosy glow, but 
she looked straight at her friend. 

“ You know I was thinking about how sometimes 
Winifred and I might sit there,” she said. 

“ Sho ! now, were you ? ” said Mr. Fosdick. “ I can 
seem to see such a thing happening myself, now and 
again. Tell you what, Felicia, Miss Kingman has 
some chintz that would be just the thing for such a 
window-seat, according to my lights — all kinds of little 
flowers in mild colors; ’twould go with whatever 
colored walls and furniture we have, no matter what. 
Some day I’ll put on my best necktie and go down 
there, and ask her if she wouldn’t like to contribute 
that chintz to the library ; she wanted me to sell it for 
her, along with my groceries, not more’n two years 


Felicia Visits 


170 

ago, but I couldn’t see my way to enlarging my busi- 
ness to take in cotton goods. She can’t more’n snap 
my head off for asking her, and she may be drawn 
right to giving the chintz to me then and there, if I 
present the object well as I ought to be able to, seeing 
my mind is all taken up with it.” 

“ Everybody’s mind is just the same way, Mr. Fos- 
dick, isn’t it ? ” said Felicia eagerly. “ And they keep 
thinking of more and more things to do to help.” 

“That’s so,” said Mr. Fosdick. “But now we 
mustn’t waste any more time in what they call general 
conversation, Felicia. What should you say was the 
next important thing to do after letting in the light ? 
I may as well tell you that consid’able power is vested 
in us, on this occasion ; near as I can make out they 
plan to have the town meeting move over here and in- 
spect the premises, just as a matter of form, as soon 
as the other business is out of the way, such as the 
brown-tail moth appropriation, and the filling in of the 
Old Baldy Road and recommending that we buy a new 
snow-plough; and James Topham and one or two 
others said that if the place could be made to look just 
a little mite less like a lumber-room even those that 
aren’t gifted with much imagination would see what a 
cozy little library it’s going to make, and maybe 
they’d appropriate a sum that would allow for some 
extras.” 

“ Blackberry Hill isn’t a poor place, is it, Mr. Fos- 
dick?” asked Felicia; “and yet father says no one in 


A Private Exhibition 171 

it is really rich. That’s one of the reasons he likes it 
so much.” 

“ All comfortably off, but not any margin for buy- 
ing air-ships,” said her friend. “ Felicia, draw a long 
breath, and see if that doesn’t tell you what’s next to 
be done.” 

“ Oh, of course, please open the windows, Mr. Fos- 
dick,” said the little girl. “ I was so excited and the 
sun changed the room so, I forgot it needed the air. 
But now I see how stuffy it is.” 

When the windows had been opened by means of 
queer little catches at the side, on which Mr. Fosdick 
pressed hard, the cool air which had in it more than a 
hint of spring swept through the room. The two 
friends leaned out of one window after another, noting 
the views to be had from each, and Mr. Fosdick ex- 
amined the blinds with a careful and practiced hand, 
testing their strength. 

“ Pretty fair condition,” he said when he had moved 
the slats of the last pair, and found them satisfactory. 
“ Some folks hold to taking off blinds in winter, some 
are for keeping them on; that way seems to have 
worked first-rate here ; all they need is a coat o’ paint 
when we get round to it ; take a hot summer day, win- 
dows all open with good screens in ’em, such as can be 
made by a number of us right in this town, and blinds 
closed on the sunny side, and this’ll be a restful spot to 
come to, yes, ma’am ! ” 

“ And there must be some easy old chairs, hollowed 


Felicia Visits 


172 

out in the back,” said Felicia, “ so you can take your 
favorite magazine, and put your head back and go to 
sleep, if you want to, Mr. Fosdick. We ought to have 
a Sleepy Hollow corner in the room. I think Mr. 
Ledyard would like that.” 

“ Better not speak of that just yet,” said Mr. Fos- 
dick ; “ there are some that might shy at the idea at 
first, but given time they would be the very ones to 
occupy such a spot when opportunity offered. How, 
how about the fireplace, Felicia; shall we take a look 
at that ? ” 

“ Oh, yes,” and Felicia watched, with color coming 
and going in her cheeks, while Mr. Fosdick pried out 
the old hand-made nails which held the fireboard in 
place ; at last the board was out and there before their 
astonished and delighted eyes yawned the great fire- 
place, with a long iron bar on which hung three iron 
pots of different sizes, while on the brick floor were a 
pair of andirons, their tops being the figures of soldiers 
with stolid faces and caps on their heads. They and a 
little three-legged skillet had been shoved against the 
back of the fireplace when it was boarded up, many 
years before. 

“ Dry as bones and not a hole in them,” announced 
Mr. Fosdick when he had examined the three iron pots 
and the little skillet at one of the western windows, 
tapping them inside and out with the handle of his 
knife, and squinting his eyes as he held them up to let 
the light show any crack or chink in the old iron. 


A Private Exhibition 


1 73 


“ Don’t know what use they could be put to here ex- 
actly, but I declare they look kind of homelike, hang- 
ing on the old crane,” he added, as he replaced them 
and swung the long iron bar out till the kettles hung 
over the place where the heat of the first fire would be 
sure to touch them. “ I s’pose we’d have to fill them 
up with water so they wouldn’t crack.” 

“ Do you think we could have the fireplace like this, 
with big logs of wood burning in it ?” asked Felicia 
breathlessly. “Would it be warm enough, Mr. Fos- 
dick?” 

“ Take chairs,” said Mr. Fosdick, handing an old stool 
to Felicia with a grand flourish, and seating himself on 
another, “ while I relate something to you. You know 
that monstrous great stove that heats the post-office 
way up to the top of the thermometer ? Well, it’s been 
suggested and spoken of that a pipe could be run right 
up from that stove into the jog in the wall over there, and 
the heat would come pouring up here, sufficient for zero 
weather ; and with an open fire for pretty, and for some 
of us old folks to sit up to it now and then, I don’t see 
why we shouldn’t have as complete a heating system as 
ever was. In there, side o’ the mantelpiece, is the 
closet where they used to keep wood — or where they 
planned to keep it. You see ’twill accommodate some 
extra long sticks, and I reckon the boys in this town 
would be willing to haul a mess o’ wood up the stairs 
now and again.” 

“ Of course they would,” said Felicia, her eyes roam- 


»74 


Felicia Visits 


ing the room and her soft forehead puckered. 4 4 Mr. F os- 
dick, does all the stuff in this room belong here ? I 
mean does it need to stay ? There seem to be so many 
barrels and boxes with nothing in them and piles of old 
paper. They don’t look so very homelike. I wish 
they might be burned, don’t you ? ” 

44 They can,” said Mr. Fosdick promptly. 44 1 was 
only waiting for you to say the word. In fact I 
haven’t waited, exactly,” he added, with an air of mys- 
tery, 44 for I had speech with the different ones that have 
stuff up here, and they all said they never wanted to 
set eyes on any of it again, and then I had speech with 
Bobby Simpson this morning.” 

44 Yes; oh, please go on!” said Felicia, as Mr. Fos- 
dick paused, looking very wise. 

44 He’s coming round behind here with his pung to- 
night, by special arrangement,” said Mr. Fosdick in a 
sepulchral whisper ; 44 1 told him to keep it kind of se- 
cret amongst the boys, so I s’pose there may be two, 
three outlying families that haven’t got the news yet. 
They’re coming here with lanterns and what all and 
pitch all this krawm and sculch out the window and 
load it on the pung and carry it off to where the sum- 
mer dump heap is, and have a grand bonfire on the 
snow. I shall be there with ’em, and most of the other 
men folks will round up there before ’tis burnt out, 
I reckon. So you tell Lyddy Cope what ’tis, if she 
happens to look out of her window and catches sight 
o’ the blaze — -for we aren’t inviting any ladies to this 


A Private Exhibition 


17 5 


entertainment, for fear of having too many, though I 
should have liked to make one or two exceptions — 
about one would have satisfied me,” and Mr. Fosdick 
smiled at his little friend. “You see how I’m situ- 
ated,” he added, in an apologetic tone. “ The boys 
think their mothers would be scared — and there’s no 
cause.” 

“ It will be a splendid big bonfire, won’t it ? ” said 
Felicia, “ and it will be so pretty on the snow ; perhaps 
I’ll see one some time.” 

“ We’ll have one specially for you next winter,” said 
Mr. Fosdick who could not bear to have Felicia miss 
any possible pleasure. “ We’ll clear out some of our 
truck from shed-chambers and so on, and get up a big 
one for you. Now, is there anything you’d like to have 
saved in this room, Felicia, beside the fireplace things ? 
You take a look round while I close up these windows ; 
it’s getting a mite cool for a person of my age.” 

Felicia went all around the room, holding her short 
skirts away from the dust and dirt whenever she could. 

“ No,” she said at last, coming back to Mr. Fosdick ; 
“ there isn’t anything anybody would want, ex- 
cept ” She hesitated, and her cheeks grew pink. 

“ Speak up, little girl,” said her friend encouragingly. 

“ Except I wish we might have these two stools in 
some corner, just for remembrance of to-day,” said Fe- 
licia shyly — “ unless you would think it was foolish, 
Mr. Fosdick.” 

“ Foolish ! ” echoed her friend. “ A pair of suitable 


Felicia Visits 


176 

stools such as these two that we’ve sat on at this pri- 
vate view and exhibition ! I’ll fetch ’em right along 
to my place now, and I’ll paint them just alike, any 
color you select, and tinker up their joints a mite, and 
we’ll have ’em for two of the chief ornaments of this 
library. And we’ll allow any one to use them, with 
care, but just to show whose they really are, I’ll put 
a couple of initials on the under side of each stool.” 

“ Cut them in ? ” asked the little girl. “ Is that what 
you’ll do ? ” 

“ M-m,” and Mr. Fosdick nodded. “ Cut ’em in, 
and paint ’em a contrasting color. F. L. on one, H. F. 
on the other. How would gold letters on a dark green 
stool strike you ? Or would you like red letters better, 
or some other color than green for the stool ? It’s for 
you to say.” 

“ I think gold letters on green would be the very 
prettiest,” said Felicia. 

“ Gold on green it shall be, then,” said Mr. Fosdick. 
“ How, Felicia, if you’ll lend me that little tape measure 
you keep in your bag, all rolled up so neat, I’d like to 
take a few measurements here, just to make it seem 
kind of extra official when I put the motion before 
town meeting. Sixty inches long ! that’s what I call 
something like ; my old rule only measures just a yard. 
See here, you’re younger than I am, suppose you run 
the tape along and I’ll put my foot on the end, and 
we’ll add up as we go around. That’s right.” 

A few minutes later the measurements, safely re- 


A Private Exhibition 177 

corded on a slip of paper, were placed in Mr. Fosdick’s 
wallet. He took the two stools over his left arm, and 
unlocking the door opened it wide for the little girl to 
pass through. 

“ This has been a beautiful afternoon,” whispered 
Felicia as she locked the door and gave the key to Mr. 
Fosdick ; “it’s been what Winifred and I call a very 
special time, and I shall never forget it as long as I 
live, and I thank you ever and ever so much for choos- 
ing me to be in it with you.” 

“ Come to think of it, little girl,” said Mr. Fosdick 
as he shot the wooden bolt, “ it’s been a pretty special 
time to me, and if ’twasn’t for being a little hampered 
with these two private view stools of ours, I’d make 
you as handsome a thank-you bow as Henry Fosdick is 
capable of executing at this present day.” 


CHAPTEK XVIII 


A SLIGHT MISUNDERSTANDING 

Winifred’s letters had been among the delights of 
Felicia’s vacation, and scarcely an evening passed with- 
out her reading to her father one of the bold scrawls, 
whose strange and uncertain spelling made them hard 
to decipher for any eyes save Felicia’s. Therefore 
Mr. Lane was a little disturbed when on Friday morn- 
ing of the second week Felicia read a letter from her 
friend with a grave face in which the color rose as she 
read, and at the end slipped it in her pocket without a 
word. 

The minister had been watching her, and at first was 
undecided whether to speak or not. 

“ Good news, I hope,” he said at last, carelessly, 
turning away from Felicia as he spoke. 

“ Oh, yes, she’s having a beautiful time,” said Felicia 
in a flat little voice, and snatching up Pedro from the 
rug where he had been stretched, half asleep, she cud- 
dled him up against her cheek. 

“ I must go out to the kitchen now, father,” she said 
setting Pedro down again, much to his disappointment, 
“ or else I shan’t have dinner for you at Blackberry 
Hill time,” and she smiled a watery little smile at him 
as she went out of the study. 

178 


A Slight Misunderstanding 179 

“Now I wonder what has gone wrong,” the minister 
pondered. “ Dear me, how glad I shall be when sum- 
mer comes and Margaret is at home ! Almost as much 
on Felicia’s account as my own — but not quite,” he 
added to himself with a rueful smile. “Felicia is a 
dear little girl, but her mother ! And it’s time we had 
Johnny with us, too.” 

He had a look of loneliness which would have gone 
straight to Felicia’s heart if she had seen it. But Fe- 
licia was not thinking of her father just then ; she was 
thinking of Winifred, and winking fast. 

“ Why, I never supposed she’d think any place was 
nicer than Blackberry Hill,” she said in a low, wonder- 
ing voice to Martin who sat on his shelf, ready for con- 
versation. “ She doesn’t say she likes the city better, 
Martin, but she says, 6 I’ve been having the best time 
of all these last two days, and Carina is coming to play 
in a hall here next Monday night, and Mrs. Hargate has 
invited me to go. Don’t expect me till you see me.’ ” 

Martin looked down at her doubtfully. This was 
one of the occasions when he did not know what was 
expected of him. 

“ What is all this ? ” he inquired in his mildest tone. 
“ Good-morning. Martin is a gentleman. The best of 
luck. Howd’y’ do?” 

Felicia might choose an appropriate sentiment from 
this carefully selected list, he thought, but Felicia 
looked at him sorrowfully. 

“ You can’t say the right thing, Martin,” she said, 


i8o 


Felicia Visits 


giving him a lump of sugar. “ I want somebody to 
tell me Winifred didn’t mean that the way it sounds — 
as if she didn’t care about having two or three days’ 
vacation with me, and seeing Pedro, and everything. 
I want somebody to tell me it isn’t true,” said Felicia 
with a little sigh as she began her preparations for din- 
ner, for it was one of Miss Loreena’s “ home days,” de- 
voted to scrubbing the small and spotless cottage in 
which she lived. 

“ Martin is a gentleman ! ” offered the parrot again. 
“ The best of luck ! ” but he doubted if Felicia heard 
him. However, he had the sugar — that was luck 
enough for him. 

That afternoon Miss Shaw gave Felicia a music les- 
son. The minister had spoken a few hurried words to 
her before Felicia went into the room, and she had an- 
swered as quickly, saying something at which Mr. 
Lane’s face lightened. Miss Shaw had received a let- 
ter, too, that morning. 

“ I’m relieved,” he said, and indeed he looked as if a 
weight had been removed from his shoulders. The 
dinner with a little grave-faced girl opposite him in 
place of his sunny Felicia had been a trying meal for 
the minister. Felicia had tried to smile and talk as 
usual, but it had been more than she could well accom- 
plish. 

“ That explains everything,” he said as Felicia’s steps 
came slowly down the stairs. “ What mistakes chil- 
dren make sometimes, with their love of mysteries ! ” 


A Slight Misunderstanding 181 

u I’ll cheer her up a little,” said Miss Shaw, and when 
the lesson was over, she put her arm around Felicia and 
asked her if she had heard from Winifred that day. 

“ Yes, Miss Shaw, I had a letter this morning,” said 
Felicia. 

She hesitated for a moment, and then reaching down 
into the pocket of her blouse she drew out the letter, 
and handed it silently to her friend. 

Miss Shaw read it through with a smile. 

“ Doesn’t that sound just like Winifred ? ” she asked 
without a glance at the sober little face beside her. 
“ Can’t you see her, with her head on one side, and the 
mischief in her eyes, and hear her say, ‘ Don’t expect me 
till you see me ’ ? I can, just as well as if she were 
here. You have to read letters aloud, of course, and 
imitate a friend’s voice always, to make it natural. I 
shouldn’t be surprised if you saw Winifred by Monday 
afternoon.” 

She stole a glance at Felicia then. The little head 
was slightly tilted, and the red lips were forming words, 
over and over. 

“ Why, it does sound that way, Miss Shaw ! ” came in 
Felicia’s most joyous voice at last. “ It didn’t seem a 
bit like that when I read it to myself. If she should 
come home Monday, there’d be till Thursday for us to 
have together before school begins. But I want her to 
hear Carina play — it was only I hoped she’d rather come 
home than anything,” she added truthfully. “Wasn’t 
that selfish ? ” 


182 


Felicia Visits 


“ It was the sort of selfishness we most of us have, 
now and then,” said Miss Shaw. “ But whichever Win- 
ifred does, Felicia, you’ll be so glad to see her when she 
comes back, you’ll forget everything else. That is the 
best of being friends. Now I must go home. I hear 
you are to have a fine supper party to-night — and Mrs. 
Cope and I are not invited. That is hard to bear ! ’’ 
and she made a funny little grimace at Felicia. 

“It’s just a gentlemen’s supper party,” laughed 
Felicia. 

She hardly resembled the solemn little girl who had 
come so slowly down the stairs an hour before. The 
pink color was in her cheeks and her brown eyes were 
shining. 

“Please come out to the kitchen with me,” she 
begged, “and see the surprises I have made for the 
party. Each person has something he’s always specially 
wanted. I made them yesterday.” 

She led the way to the kitchen, and from the pantry 
brought out a tray covered with a napkin. When this 
was lifted a great many crisp cookies, in five different 
shapes, were displayed. 

“ It was hard to make some of them,” said Felicia, as 
she took a sample of each of the five shapes from the 
tray, and laid them in a row on the table. “ Mr. Top- 
ham has always wanted to find four-leaved clovers, and 
never has done it, so I made these for him.” 

“ And that round one, Felicia, with 4 book ’ on it in 
pink frosting, who is to have that ? ” asked Miss Shaw. 


A Slight Misunderstanding 183 

“Mr. Gregg,” said Felicia. “He told me he always 
wished, when he was a little boy, that somebody would 
make round books, so there’d be no sharp corners to get 
turned over and torn. That straggly pink thing is sup- 
posed to be a ribbon that ties it. Do you think he’ll 
understand ? It would be more fun if I didn’t have to 
explain.” 

“ I’m sure he’ll understand,” said Miss Shaw. “ It 
looks quite like a ribbon, Felicia.” 

“ The rest of his books are plain,” said the little girl, 
“but he won’t mind. That broom-shaped one is for 
Mr. Fosdick ; he says he’s never seen a broom to suit 
him yet, not exactly. The hearts are for Mr. Ledyard, 
for he told me he’d never had half as many as he 
wanted. And the stars are for father,” she said, pat- 
ting the sample affectionately. “ He loves them so, and 
he’s always wished he could get close enough to one to 
see just what it’s like. I think his came out best of 
all — and I’m glad ! It’s really father’s party. I shan’t 
even sit down at the table. I’m to be a real waitress 
with a cap on my head — father said I might. And I 
have rolls and salad and marmalade and other things 
for them.” 

“ I can see what a fine party it will be,” said Miss 
Shaw, “ and I suppose Mr. Ledyard will come before 
long now.” 

“ About five, he wrote father,” said Felicia, and as a 
glance at the clock showed them that it was nearly half- 
past four, Miss Shaw ran across the neighbor path 


Felicia Visits 


>84 

while Felicia hurried up-stairs to make sure that every- 
thing in the guest room was in order. Her father was 
just coming out of his room, and Felicia seized his hands 
and swung them for a moment. 

Then she dropped one and into the other she pressed 
the letter which had come that morning. 

“ You read it, father,” she said, and brushed an imag- 
inary thread from the minister’s coat. “ You read it 
out loud, and when you get to the last sentence, imag- 
ine you’re Winifred saying it. That is the way to do 
with letters, Miss Shaw told me. Before that I had 
misunderstood, but now I know it is all right, which- 
ever way she decides,” and standing on tiptoe, Felicia 
kissed her father, and ran into her own room. 


CHAPTER XIX 


TWO PARTIES 

Felicia’s party, her “ gentlemen’s supper,” was a 
perfect success. To be sure both she and the guests 
frequently forgot that she was a waitress, and should 
not be addressed by the company, but, after all, no harm 
was done. 

“ Supposing you take that piece o’ vanity off your 
head, well as it looks, and squeeze a chair in betwixt 
your father and me,” suggested Mr. Fosdick, when the 
party had all been served three times around. “ Don’t 
tell me there’s any more coming. I know when I’ve 
had all that’s good for me, and more — and this is the 
time.” 

“ There’s only one thing more,” said Felicia, and then 
she brought from the pantry the five plates of cookies, 
and set them on the table, one before each of her guests. 

“ How if here isn’t what I’ve sought for all my days, 
staring right up at me, just the way folks have always 
told me the four-leaved clovers have stared up at them,” 
said Mr. Topham. “ It just shows there’s no use ever 
feeling slighted because you have to wait for your ex- 
periences longer than some others. I’m pleased as a 
child, Felicia.” 

“ Don’t talk to me about four-leaved clovers when 
185 


i86 


Felicia Visits 


here is a set of the neatest little brooms ever anybody- 
saw,” said Mr. Fosdick ; “ and what’s more they are as 
good as they look, for I’ve bitten into one already.” 

The others all complimented Felicia on her skill, and 
when not only Mr. Gregg but every one of the other 
guests recognized that the pink lines on the round book 
were to represent a ribbon bow, she was quite elated. 

“ My friend of the rye-drop cakes will have to hear 
about these cookies,” said Mr. Ledyard, as he consumed 
his fourth heart. 

“ Oh, did she like them?” asked Felicia eagerly. 
“I hope she did.” 

“ Did I ever say the friend was a lady ? ” inquired 
Mr. Ledyard. “Because if I did I must have been 
dreaming,” and he laughed at the little girl’s bewildered 
face. 

“But — I didn’t suppose a gentleman would know 
how to make them, even with a recipe,” she said 
innocently. 

“ Didn’t you know the head cooks in all the hotels 
are men ? ” Mr. Ledyard asked her. “ And many of 
the most famous cooks in the world are men — chefs 
they are called. Why, Felicia, for a young person who 
can make such good things to eat, you are surprisingly 
ignorant about cooks. Mind you, though, I’m not say- 
ing my friend of the rye-drop cakes is a cook.” 

“ I wonder what he means,” Felicia said to herself, 
but she would not ask any more questions, and soon 
the rye-drop cakes were driven from her mind by other 


Two Parties 


187 

things. After supper she and Pedro gave a little 
exhibition of the spaniel’s tricks in the study, much to 
the amusement of the guests. 

“ If we’re to act as a sort of committee on entertain- 
ments,” said Mr. Fosdick, “ I should say that the sooner 
the public had an opportunity to see that dog pick out 
ribbons according to color, and select the flag of our 
United States from amongst three, the first time, at 
ten cents a head, the better off the library would be. 
I hold with you, Felicia, that ’tisn’t best to set the price 
too high. It might be that some would come from 
Green Corners if ’twas properly advertised. How 
should you feel, Felicia, to stand on the platform of 
town hall, say, before an audience of upward of a 
hundred ? ” 

“I shouldn’t have to stand before them, Mr. Fos- 
dick,” said Felicia. “ I could just sit behind the curtain 
way at one side, so Pedro would know I was there. 
Gilbert Faunce has written father to say he will show 
off Pedro, if we’d like to have him.” 

Mr. Fosdick sat up very straight and buttoned his 
coat. 

“ If word was passed around from one to another 
that the son of Edward Faunce would appear on the 
platform of town hall at such a date, in aid of the 
Blackberry Hill library,” he said impressively, “we 
could reckon on one hundred and fifty, sure, and we 
might have to call on the reserve force of settees in the 
Markhams’ barn.” 


i88 


Felicia Visits 


“I guess that’s about so,” assented Mr. Topham. 
“ Now, Felicia, supposing you strike a few chords, and 
our friend Mr. Fosdick would maybe favor us with a 
little music on the clappers.” 

“ To be followed by a whistling solo from Mr. James 
Topham,” said Mr. Fosdick as he rose, and after an 
elaborate polishing of his clappers, placed them in posi- 
tion and set to work on a spirited jig of his own inven- 
tion, founded on the structure of “Yankee Doodle.” 
Felicia, to be sure, had to supply both melody and 
harmony, but such a nimble clatter as Mr. Fosdick 
wove around the old tune ! 

Then Mr. Topham whistled some of the old favorites, 
Mr. Gregg recited a beautiful poem, Mr. Ledyard a 
funny one, and the 'minister sang two old English bal- 
lads in his mellow voice, Felicia proudly playing his 
accompaniments. The concert ended with some old 
rounds, sung by Mr. Gregg, Mr. Fosdick and Mr. Top- 
ham, and loudly applauded by the rest of the com- 
pany. 

“ I understand you’re to have a long ride to-morrow, 
Felicia, you and your father, with Mr. Ledyard,” said 
Mr. Fosdick as he shook the hand of his little hostess 
at parting. “ What should you say if I told you he’d 
asked me to go along ? Would it strike you as pleasant 
and suitable, provided I made no noise or disturbance of 
any kind ? Mr. Ledyard seemed to think the machine 
would trim better with two on a seat ; I expect he has 
designs on you for the seat beside him, going or com- 


Two Parties 189 

ing. What do you think of me for a seat mate for your 
father ? ” 

“ Oh, Mr. Fosdick, you know I’d love to have you 
go,” laughed Felicia. “I don’t know where we are 
going ; that is Mr. Ledyard’s secret ; but he told me it 
would be a twenty-five mile ride each way, and we 
shall start early, right after breakfast, and not get home 
till nearly night, and have our dinner at a real hotel. 
I’ve never been in a hotel, Mr. Fosdick, in all my life ! ” 

“I’m not what you might call overfamiliar with 
hotels myself,” said Mr. Fosdick. “Well, you will 
find me all done up and ready to be called for when- 
ever you come. Stars are all out, and there’s fair 
weather prophesied.” 

The prophecy came true ; it was a beautiful morning 
with crisp air and a clear blue sky when the big auto- 
mobile drew up before Mr. Fosdick’s store, and he came 
out on the steps, accompanied by the gaping boy. 

“ You keep your head cool, and don’t speculate in 
real estate with the money that’s in the drawer while 
I’m gone, no matter what inducements may be held 
out to you,” cautioned Mr. Fosdick as he entered the 
automobile with a practiced and familiar air. “ You 
recollect that if folks ask you to draw ’em some molas- 
ses and you turn in vinegar I shall be apt to hear from 
it. You do the best you can, and that tin box full o’ 
stuff on the shelf under the stairs is for you. I don’t 
want to see a mite of it left when I come back. Good- 
bye, and good luck to you.” 


190 


Felicia Visits 


“ He means real well, that boy does,” said Mr. Fos- 
dick as they rolled away from the store, “but he 
doesn’t keep all of what mind he has on what he’s do- 
ing. He turned some vinegar into the Markhams’ mo- 
lasses jug the other day, when there was about a pint 
of molasses left in it. It made awful work! The 
Markhams took it real good-natured ; but if it had been 
Lydia Cope, I don’t know just how we’d have come 
out. And he has been at me for weeks to know if I 
wouldn’t invest in some mining lands ; he got an ad- 
vertisement of ’em, and he’s aching to put his wages 
into it ; I’ve told him plain I shouldn’t pay him up full 
till he’d run through this fever. Well there, how I do 
chatter ! ” And Mr. Fosdick brought the fur robe up 
over his mouth and pretended to be much ashamed. 

That was a merry ride over the hard snow, up and 
down the hills, with Mr. Ledyard to point out all the 
places of interest. At one time he stopped, and made 
Felicia, who was beside him, look across country to a 
group of giant evergreens, standing out against a snowy 
background with their tops apparently reaching to the 
sky. 

“ The Faunce place, Great Hemlocks, is hidden by 
those trees,” he said. “ I presume I saw your friend 
Gilbert yesterday when I came past this corner. I met 
a good-looking boy on horseback, with three big dogs 
bounding along. He had a handsome, unsmiling face.” 

“ Yes, that describes Gilbert,” said Felicia ; “ but he 
does smile sometimes, Mr. Ledyard, for father and me. 


Two Parties 


191 


Once or twice he really laughed ; and he laughed for 
Mr. Fosdick, I mean at something funny Mr. Fosdick said.” 

“ That’s good,” said Mr. Ledyard, “ and I’m glad he’s 
willing to help about the library. Your father likes 
him, and thinks he needs waking up to some responsi- 
bility and interest. He’ll be one of the richest men in 
the country some day.” 

“ Yes,” said Felicia, absently. She liked Gilbert, but 
she did not know much about rich people, whereas her 
eyes had that moment caught a glimpse of a scurrying 
gray tail ; she wanted to see where the squirrel had 
gone before the automobile had left him far behind. 

After all she missed him, but at every step of the 
way there were new things to see, and then, at just 
about noon, when the Blackberry Hill chimneys were 
sending up the smoke of their dinners, the big machine 
rounded a turn, whirred through a long road, past 
many houses, scattered at first, then packed closer and 
closer together, past a line of shops, and stopped before 
a low, comfortable building with broad piazzas, and a 
wide, hospitable door. 

“ This is the famous old 4 Traveler’s Inn,’ ” said Mr. 
Ledyard as he stepped from the automobile and held 
out his hand to Felicia, “ and to my mind it is the best 
of all the small hotels to be found in this part of the 
country. Will you dismount, Lady Felicia ? ” 

And the Lady Felicia, with pink cheeks and a mouth 
at which a most rebellious smile was tugging, dis- 
mounted. 


CHAPTER XX 


A WAKING DREAM 

Such a dinner as they had in the famous old hotel ! 
Mr. Ledyard ordered it, after Felicia had tried in vain 
to make her choice from among the strange dishes with 
wonderful names on the list, which she saw was called 
a “ Menu.” 

Her father laughed and shook his head when she ap- 
pealed to him for help, and Mr. Fosdick assumed an 
expression of alarm. 

“ Don’t you rely on me,” he said in a sepulchral 
voice. “All I can ever think of is picked fish and 
cold boiled potatoes, when I’m asked to choose. You 
wouldn’t want to mortify me before the folks at these 
other tables. Why don’t you put the whole thing right 
on Mr. Ledyard’s shoulders ? He’s the only one that 
looks easy to me, and as if he’d be competent to pro- 
vide us a satisfying meal without going outside what’s 
on that sheet o’ pasteboard for choice o’ material.” 

The dinner which Mr. Ledyard ordered was indeed a 
satisfying meal ; many of the other guests in the dining- 
room watched with pleased and amused interest the 
little girl with brown eyes and pink cheeks with her 
three cavaliers. The waiter hovered near her chair to 
192 


A Waking Dream 193 

hear the naive comments which Mr. Ledyard drew 
from her. 

When it came to dessert there was of course one 
thing Felicia desired above all others. Mr. Ledyard 
made no mistake in ordering the ice cream, three kinds 
mixed. 

“ And this little brown one has nuts in it, Mr. Led- 
yard,” said Felicia, as if she had just made a rare dis- 
covery, with her first taste of the small cone of pale 
brown, with a pink cone on one side of it, and a green 
cone on the other. 

“ Is it possible ? ” said Mr. Ledyard gravely. “ There’s 
no end to the strange things in this world, Felicia. 
Suppose you try one of those cakes with nuts on top, 
and see how they compare with the ice cream.” 

When dinner was ended, Mr. Ledyard took his party 
over the old inn, showing them many quaint and inter- 
esting things. Felicia was most of all charmed by a 
tall clock with a brass eagle on the topmost point of its 
case, and a moon-face which was then showing only 
one eye and part of its left cheek, as it was the last 
quarter. The case was mahogany, almost black with 
age, but all its brass trimmings shone like gold. 

“ Now there is another building I wish to show you,” 
said Mr. Ledyard. “ It is not far from the inn, but I 
think we’ll take the automobile instead of walking, for 
there would scarcely be time to come back here, and I 
plan to go home another road for the first few miles, 
a little longer than the way we came.” 


Felicia Visits 


194 

Felicia, who had been looking at the moon-face, 
turned away just in time to see Mr. Fosdick indulging 
in a silent fit of laughter for which there seemed to be 
no cause. She looked at Mr. Ledyard, and thought the 
corners of his mouth were twitching a little, but she 
was not sure. Her father had his back turned to her. 

“I’m all ready,” said Felicia hastily. “ I was just 
looking at the moon once more to see if it had moved 
the least tiny bit, but I suppose it hasn’t.” 

They said good-bye to the landlord, and bundled into 
the automobile, Felicia again on the seat beside Mr. 
Ledyard. 

“ But I speak for that seat when we leave the next 
place and start for home,” said Mr. Fosdick as he 
stepped in after Mr. Lane. “ I want to see the work- 
ings of the machine first-hand for once — and I brought 
an extra thick muffler a-purpose to brave the wind. I 
hate to have folks think that because my hair’s thinned 
out a mite I want to sit back out o’ the breeze, in some 
comer.” 

He gave Mr. Lane a poke with his elbow as he sat 
down, and indulged again in that silent laugh. But 
this time, Felicia, turning around, saw cause enough, 
for Mr. Fosdick always enjoyed his own jokes. 

“ I’m taking you to the building where the ‘ House- 
hold Companion ’ is printed and published,” said Mr. 
Ledyard. “ See those tall chimneys, Felicia ? They 
are on the building ; it is a very interesting place. I 
know the man who owns the magazine, and it happens 


A IVaking Dream 195 

that he is to be there to-day, and will do the honors 
himself.” 

Felicia was much excited, and when they reached 
the big building and, going in through the great door, 
were ushered into a beautiful little private office, her 
heart beat high. 

“ This is the only lady in our party, so she must be 
introduced first,” said Mr. Ledyard, as a keen-eyed 
young man stepped out from behind a desk and shook 
hands with him most cordially. “ Felicia, this is my 
friend Mr. Gorham ; Mr. Gorham, this is Miss Felicia 
Lane of Blackberry Hill, one of my very best 
friends.” 

Felicia smiled and flushed as she gave the young 
man’s hand a good, hearty Blackberry Hill shake. 

“ He’s one of my very best, too, Mr. Gorham,” she 
said. 

“ Lane — Lane,” murmured the young man when the 
rest of the party had been introduced and cordially 
welcomed. “ It certainly seems as if I’d heard that 
name before. You come with me, please, Miss Felicia, 
and I’ll try to remember what connection I have with 
the name.” 

“We haven’t many relatives,” said Felicia as she 
walked beside Mr. Gorham to the elevator, the others 
following. “ There’s my Grandmother Lane, and my 
Aunt Mary — but probably there are a great many 
others, not relations of ours at all.” 

“ Quite likely,” said the young man. “ It’s not 


Felicia Visits 


196 

either Grandmother Lane or Aunt Mary that I know. 
I’m sure of that. Queerly enough your first name seems 
familiar to me, too,” and he shot a quick glance over 
Felicia’s head at Mr. Ledyard, as the elevator door 
rolled back, and they stepped out into the basement, 
where the great engines throbbed and whirred. 

Mr. Ledyard’s mouth certainly widened for a moment, 
but Felicia did not see it. From that time on she had 
no time to look at faces, she was so absorbed in the 
wonderful machinery. From the basement they went 
up-stairs again, past the ground floor to the one above 
it ; there they saw the printing of great sheets of paper, 
and Felicia watched, with her lip caught between her 
teeth and her breath coming fast, while the sheets were 
separated one from another by a part of the machinery 
which looked like a thumb, and slipped through another 
machine to drop folded into a great basket. 

She saw the premium department, where dozens of 
clerks were reading letters and selecting packages from 
shelves and shelves piled with orderly rows of boxes, 
all labeled in bright red letters. She watched stitch- 
ing machines, cutting machines, mail clerks, young 
women whose deft fingers slipped the magazines into 
brown covers, other young women who pasted, and 
some who wrote with almost incredible swiftness. 

By the time she had walked sedately through the 
long corridors on the upper floor, and had been told 
by Mr. Gorham that several of the rooms were occupied 
by men and women who wrote for and edited the paper, 


A Waking Dream 197 

Felicia’s little head had been so filled with new ideas 
and sensations, that her mind was almost blurred. 

It was while she was gazing at some beautiful pen 
and ink drawings in the art room that Mr. Gorham 
clapped his hand to his brow as if he suddenly remem- 
bered something. 

“ I have it,” he said, and glanced quickly at Mr. 
Ledyard and the others who all nodded approval. 
“ I’ve remembered about your name, Miss Felicia.” 

“ About time he let it out, I think,” muttered Mr. 
Fosdick to the minister. “If he’d kept us waiting 
much longer I should have blurted it out myself ! ” 

Felicia was looking up at the young man with 
wondering eyes. 

“ You sent a recipe for something here, didn’t you ? ” 
he asked. “ I’m sure that’s it — a recipe for rye-drop 
cakes.” 

“ Oh ! ” said Felicia. “ No, sir — I ” she looked ap- 
pealingly at Mr. Ledyard who nodded, reassuring her 
at once. “ I only sent it to Mr. Ledyard,” she said. 
“ Perhaps he gave it to you. Was it good enough to 
print in your magazine, Mr. Gorham ? I’d be so glad 
if it was, for you’ve been so kind to show me every- 
thing.” 

“ As I remember it ” began Mr. Gorham. “ Come 

here with me, and we’ll make sure,” he said, leading 
Felicia to a desk in another room, at which sat a brisk, 
cheery young woman who looked up with interest when 
Mr. Gorham spoke to her and mentioned Felicia’s name. 


Felicia Visits 


198 

“ Miss Felicia Lane,” she repeated, consulting a book 
which, strangely enough, seemed to be open at precisely 
the right place. “Certainly, Mr. Gorham, that was 
the name of the person who won the ten-dollar prize 
this month for the best recipe. I sent the order down 
to the cashier ; it was to be called for, you remember.” 

“ Why, of course,” said Mr. Gorham. He turned to 
Felicia who stood, her eyes fastened on the young 
woman’s face, looking as if she could not trust her own 
ears. 

“ I congratulate you,” said the brisk young woman, 
smiling at her over a pile of letters. “ I shall get my 
mother to try that recipe.” 

“Oh, thank you,” said Felicia, and she held out her 
little hand to the young woman ; “ but it’s really you I 
have to thank, isn’t it ? ” she added, looking up at Mr. 
Gorham, and offering her hand to him ; “ and first of 
all it was Mr. Ledyard,” she said, turning a face filled 
with wonder and delight to her friend. 

“ What’s the reason we can’t have a good hand-shake 
all around, such an occasion as this,” suggested Mr. 
Fosdick, and followed his own words most heartily, 
not forgetting the brisk young woman who returned 
his greeting with much amusement. 

“ You come to Blackberry Hill some time, and we’ll 
treat you well as we know how,” Mr. Fosdick told her 
at parting ; and she said nothing would please her better 
than to go there, from what she had heard of the place. 

It was in a dream that Felicia took the elevator to 


A IV iking Dream 199 

go down-stairs, and still in a dream that she received 
from the hands of another brisk, smiling young woman 
two crisp five dollar bills, in exchange for which she 
was asked to sign her name at the bottom of a little 
sheet of paper. 

“ I can write better, sometimes,” Felicia confided to 
the cashier, as she pressed the blotting-paper over her 
name, unconscious of the many eyes watching her 
from the rows of desks which lined the long room. 
“ I’m not a good writer ever, but I’m not trembly the 
way I am to-day. This is the first time I ever earned 
more than a dollar — and that was only once.” 

“ I understand just how you feel,” said the cashier, 
and as she took the paper she laid her hand over Fe- 
licia’s and gave it a little squeeze. “ The first time I 
earned a w T eek’s salary my hands shook so I was glad 
I had a pocket to put my purse in. That’s the honest 
truth.” 

“Mr. Gorham,” said Felicia earnestly, when the 
young man held out his hand after she was in the auto- 
mobile beside her father, “ perhaps Mr. Ledyard will 
tell you some time about our new library at Blackberry 
Hill — and perhaps some day you’ll come to see it. And 
when you do, you’ll see somewhere in it ten books that 
will have been bought with this money, and where father 
says they put the giver’s name, inside of the cover, I 
shall have written this— I’ve just thought it out — 4 For 
F. L.’s K. D. C. B. — from Mr. Gorham.’ Do you un- 
derstand the initials ? ” 


200 


Felicia Visits 


“ I do,” said the young man, doffing his hat as he re- 
leased Felicia’s hand ; “ and though I feel unworthy, 
Miss Felicia Lane of the Eye-Drop Cake Eecipe, it will 
make me very proud to be in such distinguished com- 
pany.” 

She was still half dreaming, snuggled close to her 
father, thinking of the wonderful good fortune that 
had come to her, and of Pedro at home with Miss 
Loreena, eagerly awaiting her return, when the shrill 
whistle from a train aroused her. 

“ Why, where are we ? ” she asked, and from the 
front seat Mr. Fosdick answered : 

“ Eecollect Green Junction, don’t you ? ” he inquired. 
“ Place where you changed cars that first day, coming 
along with Mrs., Topham ? Well, Mr. Ledyard’s taking 
us by there, to vary the route.” 

“ I like to see the crowd at a big junction once in a 
while when I’m not in a hurry,” said Mr. Ledyard. 
“ That’s one of the things connected with railroad work 
that still entertains me. See, we whirl around this 
corner and down that road is the great web df tracks. 
We’ll go near enough to watch the people. There’s a 
train from the city just due. There it comes steaming 
in.” 

Felicia looked at the people pouring from the cars, 
and Mr. Fosdick half turned in the seat and watched 
her. A little girl was getting off the train. 

“That’s the very train you came up in,” he said, 



A LITTLE GIRL WAS GETTING OFF THE TRAIN 



A IV a king Dream 201 

smiling at her. “ Somebody watching as we are might 
have seen yon as we see that little girl stepping off that 
rear car. ’Bout the same size, only you weren’t quite 
so big then, and you had Mrs. Topham for company, 
not to speak of Martin. That little girl appears to be 
alone, and she’s heading this way. Why, Felicia, what 
are you doing ? Mr. Lane, do you see what that little 
girl of yours ” 

“ Please, father, help me,” begged Felicia, struggling 
to free herself from the robe. “ Please undo the door 
for me. It’s Winifred ! It’s Winifred, father ! ” 

“ Well, of course, we count for nothing,” chuckled 
Mr. Fosdick as he watched the two little figures run- 
ning toward each other, one along the boards with feet 
which scarcely seemed to touch them, one through the 
snow in the roadway. “ What are we, I’d like to 
know, compared to an intimate friend ? ” 

When the little running figures met they seemed to 
melt into one for a moment and sway back and forth. 
Then the two laughing, dimpling faces were turned to- 
ward the automobile, in which Mr. Fosdick stood, wav- 
ing his hat. 

They all welcomed the little traveler warmly, and 
Mr. Lane told Felicia he would gladly waive his right 
to sit between them. 

“No more separations for you two children till we 
turn Winifred over to her mother,” he said, and both 
the little girls gave him an ecstatic look, as they set- 
tled into place, Felicia turning to whisper to him that 


202 


Felicia Visits 


she was “ really closer to you than before, you see, 
father, dear,” which was literally true. 

After a while they grew silent. Winifred had told 
many things, as fast as she could talk, and Felicia had 
added her part. And she had been so delighted to 
hear that Carina, their dear, wonderful little Carina, 
was coming to Blackberry Hill the very next week for 
two days. 

“ So you didn’t mind coming back after all, did you, 
Winifred ? ” asked Felicia. 

Mr. Lane watched her, and the two heads on the 
front seat were half turned, but the little girls were 
unaware of any listeners. 

“ Mind ! ” echoed Winifred. “ FTo matter how lovely 
a time you’ve had, the getting home is best of all ! ” 

“ Oh,” said Felicia joyously, “ I’m so glad, even 
though you aren’t quite home yet, Winifred.” 

Her best friend turned and looked at her ; the blue 
eyes, which were so often only very bright and very 
blue, were soft as they met Felicia’s. 

“ Home isn’t just a place,” said Winifred with a wise 
nod of her golden head ; “ it is people. The minute I 
saw you, Felicia, I was home again ! ” 


The Other Stories in this Series are : 
FELICIA 

FELICIA’S FRIENDS 
FELICIA’S FOLKS 










